My favorite fešta!
Although my family celebrates Gospa od Karmela and Sv. Andrija (to much lesser extent), Sv. Roko was always the favorite of us while we were kids. It was maybe for all the toys being sold on that day, maybe because we did not get to go there on other days…who knows. But it remains a place I simply love to visit.
Rogovo is a locality about 1,5 km inland from Sv. Filip i Jakov village. It was an important village in the Middle ages as well as the seat of Benedictine monks in the area. Around the present church of Sv. Roko there was a village called Rogovo and today, all that remains is a church from the 11th century and ruins of a citadel known as Dvorine. The church was originally dedicated to Sv. Mihovil but, after the renovation in 19th century, the patron saint was changed.
As many other villages in the hinterland of Zadar and Šibenik, this village was destroyed after the arrival of the Turks. Nearest village to Rogovo today is tiny Sikovo. The church has been fully restored recently.
Saint Roc or Roch is in Croatia known as Sveti Rok or Sveti Roko. This saint is invoked against: cholera, epidemics, knee problems, plague, skin diseases. He is also patron saint of: bachelors, diseased cattle, dogs, falsely accused people, invalids, Istanbul, surgeons, tile-makers,gravediggers, second-hand dealers, pilgrims, apothecaries…
The statue usually represent the saint with a dog and the saint raising the tunic to show the plague sore in his thigh. Here is the group of local men taking the statue out for the procession after the holly mass. The whole event is well visited each year by all of living in the area and many come in traditional costumes.
The highlight is of course the procession but all of us go there to enjoy freshly baked lamb on a spit. Cut on the spot and served under the pine trees, with a glass of gemišt, makes one of Summer’s highlights. The sound of falling meat hatchet mixed with the song of crickets around Noon time is probably the nicest music one can wish for 🙂
Till August 16. 2012…