Straw work plaque depicting St. Roch and dog

Straw work plaque depicting St. Roch and dog, mounted in wooden frame and glazed, probably French, 1601-1800

St Roch (1295-1327) is the Catholic saint who has traditionally been invoked against the plague. He was said to be a Christian, born in the late 1200s, who went on a pilgrimage at the time of a plague epidemic. He helped nurse those with the disease and was believed to cure them of plague until he caught the disease himself.

To prevent the spread of the disease, he went to the woods alone. The story describes how a dog looked after him and brought him bread. As such, St Roch is almost always depicted accompanied by a dog.

Once plague was no longer a threat in Europe, St Roch’s protection was transferred to other diseases. St Roch is invoked against cholera, epidemics and skin diseases.