The world is in Coronavirus emergency. A virus of which little is known, which is alarming the whole world, and which has infected entire nations, including Italy. A virus, which started from China, which has slowly spread throughout the world and which, since last February, has also touched Europe.  Faced with such a dangerous situation, where the fear of a possible epidemic is always lurking, we take refuge in faith. Of course: in some cities (especially in those outbreaks) Holy Masses and any other type of aggregation, even religious ones, have been prohibited. But God is present everywhere and everywhere … and he never leaves us alone.  When there is faith and trust in God, devotion is born.  There is a Saint, in particular, who is prayed to precisely during periods of plague or epidemic. This is San Rocco from Montpellier . The devotion to San Rocco began in the middle of the Middle Ages when, against the terrible spread of the plague, it was invoked to placate the contagion epidemic. Over the years, and with the succession of different miracles, the invocation and faith in San Rocco has also extended to the agricultural world and that of animals, always to protect them from serious diseases, epidemics and even earthquakes. The miraculous healing of San Rocco.  But why San Rocco ? During one of his pilgrimages to Rome, as a poor friar of the Franciscan Third Order as he was, he also contracted the plague but, despite everything, he devoted himself to the care of the sick and, invoking God, he obtained many healings for them. He also miraculously healed from the plague, before being captured on his way back to France. He died in prison, accused of being a spy.  San Rocco is the protector invoked in plague epidemics since the Council of Ferrara.  Prayer is needed and is the thing we need to do!  Ask for his intercession against this Coronavirus epidemic that is spreading like wildfire, we can recite the following prayer to Saint Rocco:  .PRAYER TO SAINT ROCCO O Blessed Saint Rocco, Patron of the sick, have pity on those who lie upon a bed of suffering. Your power was so great when you were in this world, that by the sign of the Cross, many were healed of their diseases. Now that you are in heaven, your power is not less. Offer, then, to God our sighs and tears and obtain for us that health we seek. Through Christ our Lord.  Amen.  

(Repeat the following 3 times)  

Saint Rocco, pray for us, that we may be preserved from all diseases of body and soul.