Festival of Saint Roch

The Co-Patron of Cernusco

In Cernusco sul Naviglio, in the province of Milan, Saint Roch is venerated as the city's co-patron, along with Saint Sebastian. The Festival of Saint Roch, celebrated every August 16th, is a fixed religious event rooted in a dramatic episode of the city's history: the plague of 1576.

The Votive Chapel and the Memory of the Plague

The heart of the festival is the votive chapel of Saint Roch, on Via Don Sturzo, erected by the people of Cernusco in gratitude for the end of the plague epidemic that struck the area in 1576. Saint Roch, traditionally invoked against epidemics, thus became one of the city's protectors. The chapel preserves this historical memory, making the festival much more than a simple liturgical observance: it is a living link to Cernusco's past.

The Mass of August 16th

The festival takes place with a morning mass, celebrated at 10:00 AM at the votive chapel. A solemn and heartfelt moment that annually brings the faithful together in remembrance of the ancient vow and in devotion to the co-patron. The simplicity of the celebration underscores its value as an authentic tradition, passed down through generations.

A Civic Tradition

As one of the patronal feasts of Cernusco sul Naviglio, the Festival of Saint Roch is a piece of the city's religious and historical identity in the Martesana area. An event that, despite its sobriety, tells centuries of history and faith, keeping alive the bond between the community of Cernusco and its patron saints.