Joseph Sabino Mistick: Solid St. Roch saw Pittsburghers through plague

Here’s a story for our time. In 1849, halfway up the hill that would later become Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes, the parishioners of a German Catholic congregation turned to a 14th-century saint for help during the cholera plague. And they believed that he came through for them.

As the story goes, cholera hit the city hard, and St. Michael Parish was losing members faster than it could properly bury them. Hopeless and helpless, they prayed to St. Roch to spare them. They promised to forever honor the patron saint of plague victims if he helped.

And members of the parish stopped dying. Even better, when the plague returned with greater force several years later, not one member of St. Michael Parish died. And the parishioners kept their promise.

Every year for more than 140 years, current and former members of St. Michael returned to the South Side for Cholera Day to honor St. Roch. It is said that the special holy day was sanctioned by Pope Leo XIII just for their parish. And when St. Michael closed and was combined with Prince of Peace parish, the promise was still kept.

Of course, some folks will never believe in miracles. For them, there is always a logical explanation for even the most mysterious events. They might even be right, but for many, it takes the joy and passion out of life. And the hope, too.

As the coronavirus threatens every aspect of our lives, it is easy to resign ourselves to the worst. It feels like there is a meteor headed for Earth that is sure to destroy everything. But this is a time for faith — if not in miracles, then in each other.

A law school colleague received a message last week from friends who are new to this country, refugees who know life’s hardships better than most of us and who were concerned about his welfare.

“We trust that we will come out on the other side with some unexpected gifts,” they wrote. “Someday, this strange and difficult time shall pass, and we can take a look around this brave new world.”

There is something of a miracle in that attitude, and even if you are an aggressive nonbeliever, there is still a lot here for you. Families are finally spending time together, neighbors are checking on the well-being of neighbors and friends are reaching out to friends whom they have long neglected.

Surely you can face this dark future stoically, but it has to feel better to be doing something to avoid doom. There is little to be lost by last-resort prayer or even a grudging nod to higher power. Maybe the parishioners of St. Michael Church were on to something. Maybe.

Then there are the images of St. Roch himself to think about. The dog at his side found him dying from the plague in the woods, brought him food and licked his wounds.

And Roch is commonly portrayed lifting his clothing to display a plague sore — a swollen node on his leg that is caused by the bubonic plague — as if to say, “Look. I made it through this. And you can, too.”