Superstitious Phoenix

From the city’s first residents to chefs, musicians and merchants, Phoenicians are full of superstitions. Here are a few.

Baptizing the Dead

Though I had a limited understanding of Mormon teachings, what I gathered was that souls who were not baptized while on Earth would spend eternity in some sort of spirit layover — a big, busy, celestial Grand Central Station.

So Far, So Good

Jewish tradition holds that you don’t have a baby shower until after the baby is born. So when my new neighbors proposed a baby shower before my daughter’s birth, I paused.

The Rock Gods

Anyone faced with the possibility of imminent death may cling to an irrational belief — something that’s expected to control the one thing they have no control over: luck.

Something About Mary

Celestial beams of green, orange, and yellow light would fan out from behind the tall, bronze figure of the Virgin Mother on the church’s altar, and the statue would take human form.