In Montpellier, France toward the close of the 13th Century was born one Roch, son of the town's wealthy governor. Orphaned, Roch gave away his fortune, set out for Rome as a mendicant pilgrim. In town after town on the way, plagues miraculously disappeared upon his advent. But in Piacenza he fell ill himself, was expelled to a forest where he would have died save for the devoted ministrations of a dog. Roch died in his 30s, was identified by a red cross which, according to tradition, had been on his breast at birth. Roman Catholics came to believe God had...
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