BBC News | EUROPE | Nuns rap against Italian habits

BBC News Online: World: Europe

Thursday, 25 November, 1999, 17:57 GMT

Nuns rap against Italian habits

Anna Nobili, Sister Alessandro a friend and Sister Enza,

A group of nuns has recorded a rap album to protest against Italian superstitions.

The three members of Sister Act are hoping their songs will shame Italians in dropping their traditional belief that nuns bring bad luck.

Superstitious Italians touch iron when they happen to walk passed a nun - an Italian version of touching wood.

Alternatively, they say "Your nun!" to a passer-by - handing over any bad luck to the stranger.

Sister Act is rapping the custom with a 12-track album entitled "Your nun!" featuring the cover song "Your nun, touch iron".

The band's 27-year-old leader, Sister Alessandra Luna, says she hopes the CD will shame Italy's Catholics into reform.

"I had barely become a sister when I noticed all the people who passed me making these signs," she said.

"At first, I would get angry. Then, I started to smile, and the CD was born," she added.

Spreading the word

Her fellow band members are vocalist Sister Enza, 30, and novice Anna Nobili.

The nuns - from the convent of San Casa di Nazareth, in Passirano, Lombardy - had the album professionally produced. They are hoping to release it before Christmas.

Sister Alessandra said they did not meet any opposition when recording their CD.

She said it was a ''more modern and different way'' of spreading her faith to young people.

The Italian media are predicting a tour of Italian variety shows for the rapping nuns.

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