From 1943 to 1945, Nazism became more rampant in Italy as some parts of this country came under German occupation. Though the Holocaust in Italy isn’t talked about as widely as the Holocaust in other countries, there’s no doubt that Jews were indeed persecuted here and those seeking to defend them were greatly victimized. For this reason, Italy holds a commemoration for all victims on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This Italian Holocaust Day Remembrance is very significant to the Italian people and is a day of mournful reflection on the Italian Holocaust. Holocaust memorials in Italy are especially common in places like Rome, where Nazism became especially strong. Learn more about Italy and the Holocaust with... Show more

Learn all the Italian New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join ItalianPod101 for a special Italian New Year celebration! Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March - December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated. So, how do you say Happy New Year in... Show more

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Italian? ItalianPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Italian Christmas phrases! Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Italian speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas... Show more

Assumption Day/Assunzione or Ferragosto – Italian Assumption Day observes that Mary, the mother of Jesus died and her body was united with her soul and ascended to heaven instead of enduring the physical decaying of the body through normal death. It has been a belief of the Roman Catholic faith since the fourth century CE and is celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of the Harvest. This day was once a pagan holiday until it was decided to be Christianized and make it solely about the Virgin Mary. Before, it was first celebrated in honor of the goddess of the Isis of the Sea who was said to be born on this particular day according to myths that have been spreading. Ferragosto (Assumption Day) is celebrated on August 15th in Italy.... Show more

Everyone knows how important holidays are especially when they symbolize a specific event in your life. In Italy, for example, there are people who experienced the change in their government and use this public holiday, Republic Day, as a reminder of how important that occasion is. This holiday is also known as Festa della Repubblica and it was created after a referendum in 1946 was filed by the Italian government to change from being a Monarchy to becoming a Republic government. The House of Savoy ran the monarchy. The entire population of Italy was asked to vote on this referendum and the majority ruled. The Italians celebrate this holiday on the second day of June each year and they treat it just as important as the United... Show more

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from everyone here at ItalianPod101.com! We're grateful to have listeners just like you, and we're eagerly waiting for the upcoming year to learn Italian together! And when the New Year comes around, be sure to make a resolution to study Italian with ItalianPod101.com! Have a healthy and happy holiday season. From the ItalianPod101.com team!