Chiesa di San Rocco

Did the pungent scent of incense ever lead you to a place of unexpected solace? In 1630, Turin was gripped by the plague. The Chiesa di San Rocco, then a humble chapel, became a beacon of hope. It stood as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst despair. The Chiesa di San Rocco, dedicated to the patron saint of plague victims, witnessed a surge of desperate pleas and solemn vows. The confraternity, officially named the Confraternita di San Rocco Morte ed Orazione, was established in 1598 after a split from the Confraternita di San Rocco della Croce. Their initial home, a chapel next to the parish of St. Gregorio, soon proved too small. The burgeoning number of members seeking solace within its walls necessitated a change. The original structure, attributed to Carlo di Castellamonte, was replaced with a grander vision. The Chiesa di San Rocco we see today began its transformation in 1667 under the watchful eye of architect Francesco Lanfranchi. The church’s unique design, a quadrangular plan softened by rounded corners, is embraced by four sturdy pillars. These pillars support the rounded arches, creating a sense of harmony. Marble columns rise from high socles, supporting a continuous trabeation that flows into the choir. This design unites the space, drawing the eye upwards towards the octagonal dome. The dome, adorned with intricate stucco and frescoes, is crowned by a lantern. Light streams through eight large rectangular windows in the high drum, illuminating the artistry within. The facade, a later addition completed by Carlo Velasco in the late 19th century, features niches holding statues of St. Rocco and St. Espedito. Inside, the exquisite decoration, begun in 1691 by Pietro Somasso, has been revitalized by recent restorations. Two wooden confessionals grace the inner walls. Giovanni Antonio Mari’s altarpiece, “Natività della Vergine”, adorns the right-hand chapel. A wooden statue of St. Aventino rests beneath the altar, while a stone statue of the Madonna delle Grazie occupies a nearby niche. The left-hand chapel houses a remarkable 18th-century wooden crucifix attributed to Stefano Maria Clemente. Bernardo Antonio Vittone’s magnificent high altar, crafted in 1755, showcases statues of the four doctors of the church. The inlaid polychrome marble floor of the presbytery extends into the choir, its current layout a result of 18th-century craftsmanship and modern restoration. Rocco Comaneddi’s 1791 fresco, “Gloria di San Rocco”, graces the apse basin. Flanking it are Mari’s “San Rocco predica agli appestati” and Tarquinio Grassi’s “San Rocco ritrovato morto nella prigione”, alongside a wooden statue of the saint by Carlo Amedeo Botto. The choir stalls, sculpted in 1722 by Francesco Gilardi and Giuseppe Maria Bonzanigo, display remarkable craftsmanship. The sacristy boasts an intriguing walnut cupboard, inlaid with cherubs, wreaths, and columns. A late 16th-century marble basin, once a baptismal font, sits in the corridor. The Chiesa di San Rocco stands not merely as a church, but as a symbol of hope and resilience, its walls echoing the prayers and solace sought within its sanctuary.