Patron Saint of Dogs and Dog Lovers: Handmade St Roch Medal (small size)

"As a young man St. Roch (b. 1295) walked from France to Rome to help plague victims. In Rome, he caught the plague. He went into a forest to prepare himself for death. As he was praying, a dog came to him, a piece of bread in its mouth. Roch took the bread. The dog licked the plague wounds on Roch's leg, and they were healed. Roch ate the bread, and, brought back to wholeness by the dog’s gifts, he and the dog returned to Rome, where they comforted the sick. The story shows both the bond between humans and dogs and the power of each to heal the other. This medal was carved by Hank Schlau at In the Company of Saints and cast in lead-free pewter. The halo around the dog’s head is a testament to the fact that it was the dog who saved the saint.... The piece can be used as a dog tag, to protect a dog, or as a pendant, worn by a dog lover."

I designed and carved the original of the pendant and cast it in lead-free pewter. Each piece comes on a small split ring (see second photograph) so it can be attached to a dog's collar or worn as a pendant by a dog-loving human. Each piece comes in a felt jewelry pouch with a history card stating the text given above.

Dimensions: 1 inch high (this includes the bail) x 9/16 inch wide x 1/8 inch thick
A larger version of the medal is available as a different listing. Search for "Roch" and it will come up.