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Saint Roch looking up to heaven, a kneeling donor beside him, painted by Parmigianino in 1527

Saint Roch

Nursed the plague-stricken in Italy until he caught the plague himself

Patron of
the plague-stricken, dogs, bachelors, falsely accused people, pilgrims, surgeons
Western calendar
16 August
Orthodox calendar
Not kept

Little in Roch's life is certain, and the accounts differ even on the century he lived in, but tradition remembers a young man of Montpellier who gave his fortune to the poor and set out as a pilgrim for Rome. In Italy he cared for the victims of the plague until he caught it himself at Piacenza, and he withdrew alone into the woods, where a dog brought him food and its master, Gottardo, found him and took him in. On his way home he was taken for a spy and died in prison, and since the Council of Constance called on him against the plague in 1414, Christians have asked his help in times of pestilence.

Sources

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What is a saint’s feast day?

It is the day each year when the Church remembers a saint in its prayers, and for most saints it is the day they died and went home to God. Many saints here have two dates, because the Western and Orthodox Churches keep their own calendars, and some Orthodox churches still count by the old Julian calendar, which runs thirteen days behind ours.

What is a patron saint?

A patron saint is one we ask to pray for us in a particular place, work or need, as many ask Anthony of Padua for help when something is lost, and as Ireland looks to Patrick. A few patronages were declared by a pope, and most grew from long custom. A card says “Patron of” only where a source we checked names one.

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We began with the saints people search for most, by name, by need and by date, along with the apostles and the saints Orthodox Christians look for. Then we made sure every day of the year has at least one saint. That gives 378 so far, and we keep adding the saints readers ask for.

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