Plead to San Rocco against epidemics

SUPPLICA IN SAN ROCCO
Feast August 16

A very noble hero of the Catholic Church and a unique example of Christian charity, glorious St. Roch, today - on the sixth centenary anniversary of your happy transit - we prostrate ourselves reverently before you invoking you as our celestial Protector. And oh! how much we need the validis-simo your Patronage against the plagues that rage on earth. Now that you enjoy divine bliss in Heaven, where your charity is even more perfect and more alive, have pity on our miseries and protect those same men you loved so much down here in life. Beware - we beg you - of the terrible scourge that in other times deserted the cities and the countryside, covering the districts of Italy with corpses and mourning; keep all evil away from our homes by keeping us immune from any disease that endangers the health of the soul and body; free us from the epidemic of malpractice and immorality that spreads frighteningly destroying the divine flowers of innocence and grace; defend us from the contagion of guilt and error which, by obscuring the intelligence and drying up the hearts, kills the holy germs of virtue and good; and do - o glorious thaumaturge of suffering humanity - that by imitating your admirable fortress and living faithful to Catholic doctrine we can deserve the favor of your gods in our needs and participate in that glory that you now enjoy in the womb of the Eternal Love- king. So be it. Pater, Ave, Gloria.