St. Roch, whose relics rest in the church after their transfer from Voghera in, was declared a patron saint of the city in 1576. Every year, on his feast day (16 August), the Doge made a pilgrimage to the church.
Near the church is the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, noted for its numerous Tintoretto paintings. It was founded in the 15th century as a confraternity to assist the citizens in time of plague.
History
The body of Saint Roch was brought to Venice where his body was said to have been surreptitiously translated and was triumphantly inaugurated in 1485. It was decided to build a church to cover it, and a confratenity, already established in 1478 in the neighborhood for the care of the sick poor, engaged themselves to pay for its erection. The Scuola di San Rocco took eventually its name from the church.
Artworks
The church interior is notable for its Tintoretto paintings found in the sala dell'Albergo including:
- Annunciation and St Roch presented to the Pope on west wall.
- St. Roch taken to Prison (attributed) and The Pool of Bethesda on south wall of the nave.
- St. Roch curing the plague victims, St. Roch comforted by an Angel, St. Roch in Solitude and St. Roch healing the Animals (attributed) in chancel.
- St. Christopher and St Martin on Horseback by Pordenone hang on north wall of the nave.
Also present are a monument to Pellegrino Baselli Grillo (1517) and a statue of St. Roch by Bartolomeo Bon.
