Easy way to define text marks?

[Milan M. Horák]

Wanting to add a "ritt." mark to a piece, I have encountered a problem. I have 
already done it in some piese earlier, but it was long ago and I am quite 
sure the ancient version of LilyPond I used printed this "ritt." in nice 
italics. Now, I get only a normal roman (and ugly) "ritt." and seem not to be 
able to find the right setting (context, engraver or what it is) to force 
italics (the italics used in the "cresc." mark, if possible). 

Does somebody know the solution?

Regards
     Milan Horak