Where did we get the term “the dog days of
summer?” We can thank St. Rocco and his dog.
August 16 is Saint Roch's (Rocco) Day. Though not as
celebrated as it once was, today is considered the "birthday of
all dogs." It was the custom in Europe for dogs to be
seen around town with colorful ribbons tied to them.
How to celebrate the Feast of St. Rocco:
Tie a colorful ribbon to
your dog and go out together for a walk. You might even decorate
the ribbon with “VSR” for Viva San Rocco!
The initials VSR (Viva
San Rocco or Long Live St. Rocco) can still be found above doorways in
Europe: This was engraved as a plea to ward off the plague.
Watch the movie, “The
Drop.” A statue of St. Rocco, with a dog at his feet, is featured in the
2014 film "The Drop" starring Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini (his
last feature film). The protagonist Bob, played by Hardy, names his adopted dog
Rocco.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.