About St. Roch
St. Roch (also called St. Rock or St. Rocco) was a 14th-century French nobleman who became a pilgrim and healer during the time of the Black Death. Born with a red cross-shaped birthmark on his chest, he gave away his inheritance after his parents’ death and set out as a pilgrim to Rome. Along his journey, he encountered many cities ravaged by plague and became known for miraculously healing the sick by making the sign of the cross over them. Ironically, he eventually contracted the plague himself and retreated to a forest to avoid infecting others. According to legend, he survived thanks to a dog that brought him bread daily and licked his wounds. Upon returning to his hometown of Montpelier, he was unrecognizable and mistakenly imprisoned as a spy, dying in jail around 1327. He became one of the most popular saints in Europe, particularly invoked against plagues and epidemics, and is often depicted in art with his faithful dog and showing his plague sore.
Prayers & Devotions
