San Rocco Church

Address

Via Fratelli Manfredi - 42022 Boretto

Opening times

The church is not open to the visit

How to get there

See the indication to reach Boretto

Historical notes

The plague epidemic of 1630, so vividly described by Alessandro Manzoni in the novel “The Betrothed”, was responsible in this area for as many as twenty-eight deaths in the month of July alone. Victims were buried and registered by Don Giovanni Battista Rivaro, at that times Rector of the Church of San Marco in Boretto. According to the prelate’s manuscript, the number of deaths caused by the plague during the following month, August 1630, was so high that it was impossible to record them all. In fact, deceased were so numerous that they had to be buried in the precincts of their homes to avoid any contact with other areas.
The normal recording of deaths was resumed in January 1631. In the same year, the community in Villa Bardello area (then renamed village of San Rocco) elected San Rocco, the saint protector against plague, as their patron saint.
On close examination, the Church of San Rocco is clearly constructed in two distinct styles. This suggests it was built in two different, quite distant periods of time. Apse, presbytery, and the south-facing bell tower have imposing architectural features, which are typical of the late 17th century, while the rest is architecturally more recent (1715-25) and built with greater economy. After an earthquake, some parts have been restored, and today the church is occasionally used for concerts.