The prayer to San Rocco to be recited in the Coronavirus emergency – The Saint against epidemics

 

San Rocco: the Saint against epidemics

The world is in Coronavirus emergency. A virus of which little is known, which is alarming the whole world, and which has infected entire nations, including Italy. A virus, which started from China, which has slowly spread throughout the world and which, since last February, has also touched Europe.

 

Faced with such a dangerous situation, where the fear of a possible epidemic is always lurking, we take refuge in faith. Of course: in some cities (especially in those outbreaks) Holy Masses and any other type of aggregation, even religious ones, have been prohibited. But God is present everywhere and everywhere … and he never leaves us alone.

When his devotion is born

There is a Saint, in particular, who is used precisely during periods of plague or epidemic. This is San Rocco from Montpellier . The devotion to San Rocco began in the middle of the Middle Ages when, against the terrible plague of the plague, it was invoked to placate the contagion epidemic. Over the years, and with the succession of different miracles, the invocation and faith in San Rocco has also extended to the agricultural world and that of animals, always to protect them from serious diseases, epidemics and even earthquakes.

The miraculous healing of San Rocco

But why San Rocco ? During one of his pilgrimages to Rome, as a poor friar of the Third Order as he was, he also contracted the plague but, despite everything, he devoted himself to the care of the sick and, invoking God, he obtained many healings for them.

He also miraculously healed from the plague, before being captured on his way back to France. He died in prison, accused of being a spy.

San Rocco is the protector invoked in plague epidemics since the Council of Ferrara.

Prayer

And, just to ask for his intercession also against this Coronavirus epidemic that is spreading like wildfire, we recite the prayer to this Saint:

” Rocco, a lay pilgrim in Europe,

infected, imprisoned,

you who healed the bodies

and you brought men to God,

intercede for us

and save us from miseries

of body and soul “.

ROSALIA GIGLIANO