One of the attractions is the street market with hundreds of stalls lining the streets of Barga selling everything from the traditional San Rocco goods such as melons, onions, garlic, sweets, pots and pans to the more exotic articles such as small green iguanas, African drums, silk kimonos and Chinese medicines.
At every San Rocco fair you will see people arriving at Barga Giardino with small bundles wrapped up in newspaper in their hands or pulled out of shopping bags.
16th and 17th August is the traditional time to get the kitchen knives and scissors resharpened by Umberto the Arrotino – the knife sharpener.
Once upon a time there would have been many travelling knifesharpeners working in this area but that has changed over the years as peoples buying habits and expectations have changed.
These days it is just easier to throw away the pair of scissors that no longer cut as well as they did or buy a new sharp knife to replace the old blunt one. One person who knows this better that most is Umberto who has been working his trade since 1950.
Now in his late 60′s, he has become more or less the last knife grinder still on the road.
On the surface, nothing really appears to have changed in the last 10 years and yet if you look closely there are some gaps in this years event. There are definitely more articles on sale being sold at one cheap price .. all at 5 Euro, all at 10 Euro etc. for instance than in other years.
The sellers of melons, onions and garlic who normally fill the whole of the area above the two bridges with their stands are this year down to just one stand and speaking with people in the piazzas of Barga today there seems to be a change in the perception of the effects of the recession and financial crisis on this traditional annual event.
Many people said there seemed to be far less people moving around the fair and most of the traders when asked replied that there was much less money floating around … according to them, people were spending far less this year.
Could this be a self fulfilling prophesy ? …. very difficult to say as there does seem to be the usual crowds in the streets but maybe they were out earlier and spent less, who knows.
One thing is for sure though, most people seems to have a black cloud on their horizon as far as the future is concerned.
SO who was St. Rocco ?
Saint Rocco was born of noble parentage about 1340 A.D. in Montpellier, France. At birth it was noted that he had a red cross-shaped birthmark on the left side of his chest. As a young child, San Rocco showed great devotion to God and the Blessed mother. At an early age, his parents died leaving him an orphan under the care of his uncle, the Duke of Montpellier. Soon after, San Rocco distributed his wealth among the poor and took a vow of poverty.
San Rocco dressed in the clothes of a pilgrim and departed for Rome. At that time, Italy was stricken with a rampant disease. San Rocco cured many of this dreaded disease by praying for them and making the sign of the cross.
During his travels, he too contracted the plague which was evident by an open sore on his leg. Rocco was banished from the city and took refuge in a cave. Here he slept on leaves and drank water from a small stream. Miraculously a dog that refused to eat, faithfully brought him bread as a means of sustenance. The dog used to leave a nearby castle and the Lord of this castle having a curious nature followed this dog into the woods and discovered Rocco. The nobleman had pity on Rocco and brought him to his castle where Rocco was cured.
San Rocco traveled through northern Italy for two or three more years before returning to his birthplace in France. So weak and sick from suffering, the townspeople did not recognize him and he was thrown into jail as a spy without any proof. But yet he was kept in prison for five years. On August 16, 1378, a guard entered his cell and found San Rocco near death. The dungeon was illuminated with a blue light radiating from his body. Upon hearing this, the Governor demanded to know San Rocco’s identity. San Rocco faintly replied, I am your nephew Rocco. Only one thing could prove that, so he had him disrobed and the red cross-like mark was visible on the left side of his chest. The Governor and the townspeople present in the cell then believed. A voice from paradise was heard announcing that San Rocco’s soul had merited immortal glory in Heaven. Even after his death, San Rocco performed many miracles.
Saint Rocco is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church as the protector against the plague and all contagious diseases. The statue of Saint Rocco is considered unique among theologians because of his pose. It is most unusual because it depicts him with his left hand pointing to an open sore on his left leg. Few images of saints expose any afflictions or handicaps.
Alla fine del 1400 si hanno notizie di un oratorio chiamato Cappella S. Rocco in fondo al ponte di Porta di Borgo, sorto per onorare il santo protettore contro la peste dilagante. Nel 1630 si inizia a costruire la nuova chiesa di S. Rocco in un luogo vicino al precedente oratorio. Terminata nel 1639, un altare diverso o l’odierno accolse l’attuale tela raffigurante quattro personaggi: la Madonna col Bambino in alto, S. Rocco, S. Sebastiano e S. Antonio; i primi due santi sono protettori contro la peste, S. Antonio è il protettore degli animali domestici presenti in gran numero nell’allora giardino, dietro i santi sono raffigurati appestati derelitti. L’altare della Madonna di Pompei con un quadro si suppone sia del periodo dopo il 1700 periodo in cui si venerava la Madonna del Carmine. L’altare di S. Rocco che è vicino all’entrata della sacrestia in stile barocco è recente, in esso si conserva un’antica statua del santo.