Visiting comuni in Messina

[mjclayton1]

Hello, Forum-

I'm traveling to Italy/Sicily in August. I will only have one (1!) day - actually, parts of two days - in Sicilia to try and make some connections at local cimiteri and (doubtful) Anigrafes, etc. I'll be in Sicilia the 3rd-4th week of August. I need recommendations as to what I can possibly accomplish during that time. I need to be efficient...

I have two town targets:

1. Saponara
2. Santa Lucia del Mela

I have cross connections between these two comuni.

My research indicates that my great-parents (and others) were tied to the cemetery and church in Saponara (Parish of San Nicolo - Giuseppe Mazza's baptism in 1862) and Santa Lucia del Mela (Parish of Santa Maria Annunziata - Maria Giordano's baptism in 1863). Can anyone help me as to how to access these places? Google Earth shows them up in the hills and I think driving/parking may be a significant challenge for me (I may need to rent a driver for the day - would be expensive). Or any other suggestions???

Also, as to Santa Lucia del Mela, I have various records that show that the residence for the family was on "Via Gualtiere" (no number given). Any suggestions there?

Thanks in advance for any and all feedback...

Mark

[erudita74]

As to the anagrafe offices, Mark, I strongly suggest you contact these offices in advance, and communicate in an email, the info for which you are searching. Even about municipal or town cemeteries. The caretaker may be housed in the municipal bldg. Also the town offices have limited hours of operation during the week. What I've found online may or may not be accurate:

For Santa Lucia del Mela, I see Monday and Thurs 9-1, and 4-7:30. Tues, Wed, and Friday, I see 9-1.

https://www.paginegialle.it/santa-lucia ... ia-mela_15

Also the street name may have changed over time, so you should confirm whether it has or not with someone at the municipal bldg in the town.

Santa Lucia del Mela
Uffici - Via Pietro Nenni, 2

E-Mail: anagrafe@comune.santaluciadelmela.me.it

I don’t see a Pro Loco organization specifically listed for either town, but I thought that such an organization might be useful to you. I believe it is comprised of volunteers in various towns and deals with the tourist industry. A native Italian or Sicilian can probably tell you more about this type of organization.


For Saponara:

E-Mail: area.amministrativa@comune.saponara.me.it

Piazza Matrice

9-1 Mon, Tues, Fri

Thurs: 9-1; 3:15-6

I believe a lot of locals are on holiday in the month of August, but you may find locals in the towns who are willing to be of assistance to you.

Good luck.
Erudita

[mjclayton1]

Thanks very much for this, Erudita. I know I have precious little time to spend while there, but will try and digest it and see where it takes me.

Mark

[p.s. - I hope you're doing well!]

[erudita74]

Hi Mark
All's well with us. Just been busy helping with our young grandkids who live nearby, and with my own genealogy research and writing.

I'm sure you also know this, but a lot of parishes have priests that administer to more than one parish. So the priests may not be at the parishes when you visit the churches in these towns. I don't know if this will in any way affect your plans, but I'm mentioning it in case, since you mentioned burials in church cemeteries.

We've only been to Sicily once, but from a cruise that stopped at the port of Messina. We took a train and then a bus up a long winding road to Taormina, which was way up high. Every time the bus was to go around a curve on the road, the driver had to honk his horn to notify vehicles coming in the other direction down the hill, as the bus needed the two lanes to maneuver around the curves. Unfortunately, we've never been to our ancestral towns anywhere in Sicily, or in southern Italy, even though I've been to Italy three times and my husband twice.

We tried to tour a cemetery when we were in Cagliari in Sardinia, but it was closed for siesta! I was so disappointed, but we didn't have enough time to go back at the time it was re-opening.

Anyway, I hope you have a great vacation and great success. Hopefully you'll update us about your trip, when you get back.

Erudita