Today, Saturday 7 June 2025, the village of Contensses dressed up to celebrate a historical event: the centenary of the parish church dedicated to Santa Maria Immacolata. A century of religious life that is also the story of identity, culture and community for the inhabitants of the area. The sacred building, built thanks to the generosity of the De Pasquale family who donated the ground and finished the work, continues to be a spiritual and social point of reference for the neighborhood.
To commemorate the important anniversary, the parish, in collaboration with the second municipality and with the patronage of the Municipality of Messina, organized the White Night for this evening: a recreational and cultural event that involved the entire village from 18 until midnight.
Villa De Pasquale, open for the occasion thanks to the availability of the regional museum, welcomed visitors together with the Calispera church. The streets of contesses have turned into an open -air theater with numerous activities: from the band of the Meccanized brigade Aosta to the exhibitions of sacred furnishings in the parish hall, from the participation of the local schools – the Catalfamo Comprehensive Institute with the aspiring Ciceroni, the Leopardi School with the Orchestra, and the Institutes Polimeni and Zumbo – to the musical and dance shows.
Among the most anticipated moments of the evening, the concert of the Messina guitarist Ricky Portera, known for his collaboration with Vasco Rossi. Also present a food area with the master’s specialties Enzo Piedimontewhile visitors will be able to park for free in the fruit and vegetable market area.
The initiative was commissioned by the parish priest dOn Cleto D’Agostino and by the president of the second municipality Davide Siracusanowith the support of the mayor Federico Basile and the director of the Regional Museum Marisa Mercurio. “It is a great team work that confirms the strong sense of community – said Don D’Agostino – and the white night wants to be much more than a simple re -enactment: it is a party that combines faith, culture and participation. A hundred years after its foundation, our Church continues to be the beating heart of the village, thanks also to the historical generosity of the De Pasquale family”.
The celebrations will continue on Monday 10 June, the exact day of the centenary, with a solemn mass at 6 pm chaired by the Archbishop Giovanni Accolla and concelebrated by the original priests of Contensses. Two other commemorative moments are scheduled for the months of July and September.