Tolox – San Roque Chapel

San Roque Chapel – Tolox

The San Roque Chapel is located just outside the village of Tolox, in the province of Málaga.

This hermitage was built in the 80s in honour of the patron Saint and is located three kilometres from the town, a site from where we may enjoy a wonderful panoramic view. The architecture combines the white of the façade with a stone base, crowned with a number of steps at the top of which we shall find an iron cross that houses the image of the  saint.

San Roque, since the XIV century, defends the town against the plague and all types of epidemics. Centuries ago, in the event of an epidemic, the inhabitants possibly made a “voto de villa”, an act that consisted in making a promise if the saint granted them a favour.

Our Saint is accompanied by a lovely dog. Where did the dog come from? Well… it saved his life. History states that Roque was born around the year 1300 at Montpellier, and having become an orphan, he sold all his inheritance to give the proceeds to the poor.

He commenced his pilgrimage and, at Piacenze, he went to live in a forest to escape from an epidemic that was affecting the inhabitants of the town. Every day, a little dog visited him. Bringing him a bread roll. Each day, the animal took the bread from its master’s table, a rich man, who , after observing the animal on several occasions decided to follow it. The rich man found this poor dying person in the forest. Surprised he took the man home, fed him and cured him. After realising the unaffected manner of this stranger and having listened to the words of the gospel from him, the rich man decided to accompany him on his travels. Saint Roque´s health was fully re-established by the visit of angel, although other versions states that the dog curd him by lick a wound on the saint’s leg several times when he was still in the forest.