Prayer to St. Roch for the Sick, Epidemics and Dogs

St. Roch (also called Rocco or Rock) was a fourteenth-century pilgrim from Montpellier, in France, who nursed the victims of plague in Italy, caught the disease himself and, according to his legend, was kept alive in the forest by a dog that brought him bread every day. For centuries towns struck by plague and epidemics turned to him, and he is the patron of the sick, of those with contagious diseases, of surgeons and of dogs and dog lovers. Below are prayers to St. Roch for protection from disease, for the sick, for caregivers and for dogs and pets, Scripture and his story.

A prayer to St. Roch for protection from disease

Written for this page:

St. Roch, you gave up wealth and comfort to care for the victims of plague,
and God healed you when you fell ill.
Pray for us in this time of sickness.
Protect our families and communities from contagious disease,
strengthen those who care for the sick,
and comfort those who mourn. Amen.

A prayer for the sick

St. Roch, friend of the sick,
pray for (name), who is ill.
As you were healed in the forest, may he (she) be restored to health,
if it is God’s will, and never feel abandoned. Amen.

This prayer was written for this page. See the prayer for the sick.

A prayer for doctors, nurses and caregivers

St. Roch, you nursed the sick when others fled.
Bless all doctors, nurses and caregivers who risk their health to serve the sick.
Protect them from infection, give them strength and courage,
and reward their generosity. Amen.

This prayer was written for this page.

A prayer for dogs and pets

St. Roch, a faithful dog fed you when you were sick and alone.
Bless my dog (name) and all the animals in our care.
Keep them healthy and safe,
and help us to care for them with kindness and gratitude. Amen.

This prayer was written for this page. See the patron saint of animals and the St. Martin de Porres prayer.

Psalm 90 for protection

Psalm 90, the great psalm of God’s protection against “the arrow that flieth in the day,” has always been prayed in times of epidemic:

The praise of a canticle for David. He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.
He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust.
For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.
He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.
His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.
Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.
But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge.
There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.
For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.
In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name.
He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.
I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.

The story of St. Roch

Most of what we know about St. Roch comes from accounts written more than a century after his death, and historians debate the exact dates of his life, usually placed in the fourteenth century. According to tradition:

He was born in Montpellier, in southern France, into a wealthy family, and was marked from birth with a red cross on his chest.
When his parents died, he gave away his fortune and set out on pilgrimage to Rome.
In Italy he found towns ravaged by plague. He stayed to nurse the sick in Acquapendente, Rome and other cities, and many were cured when he made the Sign of the Cross over them.
At Piacenza he caught the plague himself. Not wanting to infect others, he withdrew into a forest to die. A dog from a nearby estate brought him bread each day and licked his sores until he recovered; the dog’s master, a nobleman named Gothard, followed it, found Roch and became his disciple.
Returning home, he was arrested as a spy and spent his last years in prison, where he died. Only after his death was he recognized by the cross on his chest.

During an outbreak of plague at the Council of Constance in 1414, the city prayed to St. Roch and the epidemic ended, and devotion to him spread rapidly. His relics are venerated in the church of San Rocco in Venice.

Feast day and patronage

Feast day: August 16 (in the Roman Martyrology). A novena can run from August 7 to 15.
Patron of: the sick, those suffering from plague and contagious diseases, surgeons, invalids, dogs and dog lovers, and falsely accused people.
Symbols: a pilgrim’s hat, staff and shell, a sore on his leg that he points to, and a dog carrying a loaf of bread.

Frequently asked questions

What is St. Roch the patron saint of?

The sick, people with contagious diseases and epidemics, surgeons, and dogs.

Why is St. Roch shown with a dog?

Because, according to his legend, a dog brought him bread every day when he was sick with plague in the forest.

When is the feast of St. Roch?

August 16.

Is St. Roch the same as St. Rocco?

Yes. Roch is the French form of his name; he is called Rocco in Italian and Roque in Spanish and Portuguese.

More prayers

Texts and sources

Scripture: Psalm 90 (91 in modern Bibles), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
The prayers were written for this page.