Patron of the Sick ... and of Dogs, too!
Feast: August 16th
St. Roch was, once upon a time, widely invoked as a healer in medievel Europe ... but today his story is somewhat forgotten outside of that part of the world, as far as this author can personally assess. It seems that his life has been eclipsed by big-name Saints of his era (i.e. St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Catherine of Siena, etc.) ... and, because of technology, by modern Saints whose biographies are more widely circulated (i.e. St. Padre Pio, St. Therese the Little Flower, St. Faustina Kowalska, St. Teresa of Calcutta, etc.). Nevertheless, his name remains familiar although his personal history is obscure. This ministry hopes to make him a little more known.
According to a mix of historical facts and legends, Roch was born circa 1295 to the governor of Montpellier, France. His birth was the blessed result of many fervent prayers to Our Lady offered by his pious parents who couldn't conceive a child; this may also explain why he was reportedly born with a red birthmark on his chest in the distinct form of a cross, which was interpreted by his family as a unique blessing and a prophetic sign of his future sanctity.
In fact, in his early youth, Roch was already a local spiritual celebrity in the city because of his evident piety; for possessing a penchant for voluntary poverty, charitable service, and penitential practices (i.e. fasting).
Orphaned at the age of 20, Roch took the opportunity to follow his religious convictions - he waived his right to govern Montpellier; distributed his inheritance to the poor; joined the Third Order Franciscans; and set off on foot to Rome. Along the way, he never revealed his high social status to anyone but chose to go about inconspicuously dressed as a humble pilgrim.
Arriving in Italy, the Saint discovered the country in the grip of the Black Plague. He ministered to the sick in several cities - Acquapendente, Cesena, Rimini, and Novara - volunteering in hospitals, as he passed through, until he finally reached Rome. In his wake, Roch left a trail of many miraculous cures, which resulted from his blessing with the sign of the cross. After Rome, he visited other plague-stricken towns/cities, effecting more healings through his blessing. In Piacenza, however, he contracted the dreaded disease, himself.
St. Roch is often depicted in pilgrim garb with a dog at his side.
Anticipating his own demise, Roch isolated himself in the woods outside of Piacenza where the illness took its normal course with him. The usual sores formed on his body and he was wracked with fever and pain. He would have likely died had not a strange dog found him, which licked and cleaned his lesions, and brought him bread to eat daily. The animal's owner - a Count Gottardo - discovered the sick man after following his dog as it scurried away with bread in its mouth. The nobleman generously provided Roch with the additional care he needed and the patient recovered.
After regaining his strength, the wandering pilgrim headed back to Montpellier but was arrested at the outskirts of the city under the suspicion of being a spy (France was in the midst of civil unrest}. His unkempt appearance left him unrecognized by officials and Roch strangely refused to identify himself as a citizen and a former governor's son. Subsequently, he was imprisoned where he remained until his death. In the meantime, he spent his incarceration in habitual prayer, penance, and ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of his fellow prisoners.
Roch died in 1327 after having spent about 5 years in jail. As he lay dying, a brilliant light emanated from him that illuminated his entire cell. When his body was prepared for burial, the miraculous red cross on his chest (interpreted by some hagiographers as an actual manifestation of Stigmata) was discovered by his jailers. Word of the mystery dead man, marked with a cross, drew officials to the prison and it was then that Roch's true identity was realized by some of his relatives.
Given his social status, Roch was given a public state funeral during which many cures were recorded, leading to him being invoked by the sick. His fame was so widespread in Europe at the time, that when the plague broke in Constance (Germany) in 1414, during a special Church Council, the prelates ordered public prayers and a procession to invoke Roch's intercession; the pestilence immediately ended.
In 1484, the remains of this French miracle worker were allegedly stolen from his tomb in a church in Voghera, by a friar, and brought to Venice where the plague had resurfaced. His relics have since stayed in that Italian city, in a church built and dedicated to his name.
The Church of St. Roch in Venice & his tomb above the main altar.
Pope Urban VIII (d. 1644) formally authorized St. Roch's popular cultus, effectively adding his name to the Catholic Church's Calendar of Saints. May he pray for our personal needs and the needs of the universal Church.
A PRAYER TO ST. ROCH
O blessed St. Roch, Patron of the Sick, have pity on those who lie upon a bed of suffering. Your power was so great when you were in this world, that by the Sign of the Cross, many were healed of their diseases. Now that you are in Heaven, your power is no less. Offer to God our sighs and tears, and obtain for us the physical and spiritual health we seek: (mention your request here). This, we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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