Specials

Saint Rocco was born about 1340 A.D. in Montpellier, France. He belonged to a noble and rich family and he was raised by his uncle, the Duke of Montpellier, after the early death of his parents.

When he was very young, he made a vow of poverty, gave his wealth to the poor and departed for Rome as a pilgrim. During his journey, he visited many northern Italian cities stricken with the plague and cured the ill with prayer and the sign of the cross. In this period, he too contracted the plague (evident in the Saint iconography by an open sore on his leg) and he was cured by a noble man.

After some years, he came back to Montpellier, but because of his sick and tired appearance, no one recognized him and he was sent to jail as a spy. He was kept in prison for five years. On August 16, 1378, when Saint Rocco was near the point of his death, a guard entered his cell and found it illuminated by a blue light coming from the Saint’s body. A voice announced that Rocco’s soul had merited immortal glory in Heaven.

Since that moment, people started to believe in Saint Rocco and considered him the protector of the sick. Many miracles, also after his death, have been attributed to him.

Nowadays Saint Rocco has a lot of worshippers all over the world, especially in Southern Italy and in the Italian community in the United States of America

In Italy Saint Rocco is celebrated in so many towns that would be impossible to list all of them. By the way, here you can find the cities which organize the most interesting feasts : Potenza, Scilla, Gioiosa Ionica, Carpinone, Motta D'Affermo... for the others, please look on Wikipedia!

In addition, in the US the Italian/American community organizes a lot of events dealing with Saint Rocco. Besides New York City, it is possible to join feasts and celebrations for the Saint also in Fort Lee, NJ; Aliquippa, PA; Boston, MA; Pittsburgh, PA; Dunmore, PA; Cleveland, OH; Glen Cove, NY and Chicago, IL.

 
Article by Andrea Riccio
Photos by Tommaso Cuccia