San Fratello

San Fratello
Comune
Comune di San Fratello
San Fratello and Filicudi island
San Fratello Location of San Fratello in Italy
Coordinates: 38°1′N 14°36′E / 38.017°N 14.600°E / 38.017; 14.600Coordinates: 38°1′N 14°36′E / 38.017°N 14.600°E / 38.017; 14.600
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province / Metropolitan city	Province of Messina (ME)
Government
• Mayor	Giuseppe Ricca
Area
• Total	67.1 km2 (25.9 sq mi)
Population (Dec. 2012)
• Total	3,854
• Density	57/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	98075
Dialing code	0941

San Fratello (Gallo-Italic: San Frareau, Sicilian: Santu Frateddu, Greek and Latin: Apollonia,Medieval Latin Castrum S. Philadelphi), formerly San Filadelfio, is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 110 kilometres (68 mi) east of Palermo and about 90 kilometres (56 mi) west of Messina. San Fratello borders the following municipalities: Acquedolci, Alcara li Fusi, Caronia, Cesarò, Militello Rosmarino, Sant'Agata di Militello.

Its peak of population was in 1921, with 10,094. In the following decade, it lost nearly 20 percent of its population, as people migrated for work to cities and to other countries, especially the United States. As of 31 December 2012, it had a population of 3,854 and an area of 67.1 square kilometres (25.9 sq mi).

The name of San Fratello derives from three pious brothers: Alfio, Cirino and Filadelfio. In their honour a festival is held annually on 10 May. The village was founded in the 11th century by Adelaide del Vasto, the wife of Roger I, a noble of present-day French Normandy who conquered Sicily. She came to Sicily together with colonists. They introduced their Gallo-Italic dialect, which is still spoken in the village. San Fratello is one of the so-called Oppida Lombardorum of Sicily, settlements established by the Lombards. In addition to their language, they brought Latin Christianity, which gradually replaced the Greek Byzantine Christianity and Islam.