The province of Messina (; ) was a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily, Italy. Its capital was the city of Messina. It was replaced by the Metropolitan City of Messina.
Geography Territory It had an area of , which amounts to 12.6 percent of total area of the island, and a total population of more 650,000. There are 108 comuni (: comune) in the province .
The province included the Aeolian Islands, all part of the comune (municipality) of Lipari (with the exception of Salina). The territory is largely mountainous, with the exception of alluvial plain at the mouths of the various rivers. The largest plain is that in the area between Milazzo and Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, which, together with Messina, form a metropolitan area of some 500,000 inhabitants, one of the largest in southern Italy. Much of the population is concentrated in the coastal area, after the hill towns have been largely abandoned from the 19th century.
The main mountain ridges are the Peloritani, up to in elevation, and the Nebrodi, up to , which are included in a Regional Natural Reserve.
Rivers of the province include the Alcantara and the Pollina, which forms the border with the province of Palermo to the west.
Main comuni The main comuni (municipalities) by population are:
ComunePopulationMessina246,951Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto41,157Milazzo32,600Patti13,241Sant'Agata di Militello13,026Capo d'Orlando12,928Taormina10,909Lipari10,782
Government List of presidents
Traditions Religious Feasts and tradition date Feast City 6 December Feast of Saint Nicholas Saponara 8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception Saponara 13 December Feast of Saint Lucy Santa Lucia del Mela 6 January living Nativity scene Montalbano Elicona 20 January Feast of Saint Sebastian Mistretta 19 MarchFeast of Saint JosephOliveri and Merì19 March and Tuesday after EasterFeast of Saint JosephPiraino last March Friday Procession of SS Crucifix with the hodeeds blu "i babbaluti" San Marco d'Alunzio Easter Friday Procession of the "Barette" Messina the 11-12 and third Sunday of May Feast of Saint Philip of Agira Limina 3 June Feast of the Madonna della Lettera Messina and Itala 12 June Feast of the Madonna di Montalto Messina 13 June and following Sunday Feast of Anthony of Padua Milazzo 24 June Feast of Saint John the Baptist Castanea, Messina 29 June Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul San Pier Niceto 2 July Feast of Our Lady of Graces Furci Siculo first Sunday of July Feast of Saint Maria Annunziata Merì first Sunday of July Feast of the Madonna of the saint water Valdina first Sunday of July Feast of Our Lady of Graces Naso second Sunday of July Feast of the Saint Guardian Angel Fondachelli-Fantina 16 July Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roccalumera 25 July Feast of the Saint James Capizzi first Sunday of AugustFeast on the sea of the Saint Mary of Porto Salvo Santa Teresa di Riva 3 August Feast of the Madonna of Dinnammare Larderia, Messina 5 August Feast of the Saint Mary of the Snows Santa Lucia del Mela 9–10 August Feast of Saint Lorenz Frazzanò second Sunday of August Feast of Saint Lucy Savoca second Sunday of August Feast of Saint Sebastian Gaggi 15 AugustFeast on the Assumption of Mary Novara di Sicilia and Messina first Sunday of SeptemberFeast of the Madonna of the chain Mongiuffi Melia 8 SeptemberFeast of the Madonna of the Divine providence Fondachelli-Fantina 7–8 SeptemberFeast of the black Madonna of Tindari Tindari
See also Metropolitan City of Messina Strait of Messina metropolitan area Strait of Messina History of Sicily Aeolian Islands Niceto Valley
References
External links Province website Pictures, history, tourism, gastronomy, books, local products, local surnames, transportation in the province of Messina Travel itineraries in Messina, Taormina and Lipari Islands. Sicily TravelNet