Saint Roch

San Roque or Saint Roch, known as Rocco in Italy and Roque in Spain is patron saint of the sick and invalids. The faithful offer prayers for intercession to San Roque worldwide. We celebrate Saint Roch's feast every third sunday of May and we still celebrate it every 16th day of August (original day of celebration). During the "fiesta" in our barangay( village or the small community next to a municipality), we often held our prusisyon( pilgrimage) in the river with our Patron Saint Statue placed on the Pagoda( a boat that is used during feast celebrations). Mass are held in the evening of the bis peras (the day before the day of celebration, usually saturday in our place) and on the next day.

History:
Roch was born around 1295 to the rich family of the Governor John and his wife Libera in Montpellier, France. Tradition says that Roch had a birthmark with a red cross on his chest.

His father died when he was 12 and his mother died when he was 20. He joined the Franciscan order soon after that and distributed his fortune among the poor and handed the government of Montpellier to his uncle.

Roch then set out for Italy as a mendicant pilgrim at stopped along the way to care for the victims of the plague that was ravaging Italy at that time. At Piacenza Roch fell to but recovered and was reputed to have performed many miracles of healing everywhere he went.

One tradition says that after his recovery, Roch returned to Montepellier, France. He was arrested and accused as a spy dressed as a pilgrim and sent to prison by his uncle who did not recognize him.

He died in prison five years later. It was only when they found the cross on his breast as well as a document found in his possession that they found he was the son of the previous governor (and nephew of the new governor) because of.

When the plague broke out in the city, the Fathers of the Council of Constance ordered prayers and processions in Roch’s honor, and the plague stopped.

San Roque

O BLESSED SAN ROQUE,
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 not less.
Offer, then, to God
Our sighs and tears
And obtain for us that health we seek
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

San Roque, pray for us,
That we may be preserved
From all diseases of body and soul.