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When and How to Pray to St. Roch
Pray for someone who is ill, for health professionals, or during an outbreak of disease. Name the person or community in need and offer an Our Father. St. Roch’s feast is August 16; a nine-day preparation may begin August 7. Continue appropriate treatment and preventive care while asking for his intercession.
Who Was St. Roch?
St. Roch, also called St. Rocco or San Roque, is remembered in Catholic tradition as a pilgrim who cared for people stricken by plague. New Advent’s account explains his longstanding veneration and August 16 feast. Many details of his biography belong to later tradition, and his exact dates are disputed.
What Is St. Roch the Patron Saint Of?
He is traditionally invoked for the sick, especially during epidemics and contagious illness. His example also points toward caring for people whose illness leaves them isolated. Ask for healing and protection, and consider one practical way to help a sick neighbor safely.
Was St. Roch a Franciscan?
He is often associated with the Franciscan Third Order, but that membership has not been established with certainty. We can honor the charity reflected in his story without presenting that association as a proven fact. His prayer belongs to the wider Catholic tradition.