St. Roch, Patron of Dogs, in Medieval Niche

No.: S-150 (large size)

Dimensions: 10x4x2 (inches)

Price: $45.00

Comes boxed and with a card giving the following history

Saint Roch was born in Montpelier, France, in 1295. When as a young man he heard that the plague had reached Italy and was causing great suffering, he walked from Montpelier to Rome to help the victims. While in Rome, Roch himself caught the plague. Believing he was soon to die, he went into the forest at the edge of the city, built a small hut, and began to pray and prepare himself for death. As he was in prayer, a dog came to him holding a piece of bread in its mouth. Roch took the bread from the dog. The dog then licked the plague wounds on Roch's leg, and the wounds were healed. Roch ate the bread, and, brought back to wholeness by the dog and his gifts, he and the dog returned to Rome, where they worked to heal others and comfort the dying. The story demonstrates both the bond between humans and dogs and the power of each to heal and rejuvenate the other.