Rocco was born in 1340 into a noble French family. There are variations on the life of this man. Here's the story I was told:
Traveling from city to city in Italy, Rocco entered a town that had a sudden outbreak of the black plague.
Unable to return to his own home, he did what he could to minister to the sick. He, too, contracted the disease and wandered into a forest to die. His dog was not in agreement with this plan. The mutt stole bread and brought it to his master to sustain him. Regaining his ability to travel, Rocco went back to his own city. Distrustful of strangers and not recognizing him in his weakened condition, the city fathers accusing him of being a spy and killed him. He's venerated as a saint because of his charity and a voice out of heaven that revealed Rocco's identity and chastised the city fathers,
- Subject Matter: Figures