Saint Roch
Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79; traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327), also called Rock in English, was a Majorcan Catholic confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he was especially invoked against the plague.
He is a patron saint of dogs, invalids, falsely accused people, bachelors, and several other things. He is the patron saint of Dolo (near Venice) and Parma, as well as Casamassima, Cisterna di Latina and Palagiano (Italy). Saint Roch is the patron saint of the Central European region of Kociewie. He is also the patron saint of the towns of Arboleas and Albanchez, in Almería, southern Spain, and Deba, in the Basque Country.
Saint Roch is known as "São Roque" in Portuguese, as "Sant Roc" in Catalan, as "San Roque" in Spanish (including in former colonies of the Spanish colonial empire such as the Philippines), as "San Rocco" in Italian and as "Sveti Rok" in Slovenian and "Sveti Roko" in Croatian.
Patron saint of Invoked against: cholera, epidemics, knee problems, plague, skin diseases; Sarmato, Altare, Patrica, and Girifalco (Italy)
In the Martyrology
- August 16 Saint Roch, pilgrim