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Chiesa dei Santi Rocco e Sebastiano in Campagnano: The Votive Chapel Outside the Walls
The Church of Saints Roch and Sebastian is located on Via di San Sebastiano, just outside the walls of Campagnano di Roma, along the road leading to the Santuario della Madonna del Sorbo (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorbo). This church-owned small building dates back to the early 17th century according to the Cultural Heritage Catalogue . Little is known about it, perhaps this is what gives it added interest.
Two Saints, one plague
St Roch and St Sebastian were invoked together in the 16th and 17th centuries whenever the plague turned up. Many communities that survived would fulfil their vow by building a church or chapel dedicated to both saints, which is why dozens of them can be found scattered across Italy, from Pieve di Cento to San Carlo Canavese, nearly all originating in the same way. The position of this chapel, outside the walls and along a transit route, is consistent with that tradition: votive chapels against epidemics were often erected on the outskirts of settlements, where travellers passed through.
What you can see today
The interior is austere, without notable decorations, and this is precisely what makes it authentic. The church is not always accessible. The Cultural Heritage Catalogue has it among the protected buildings under the Superintendency for the Metropolitan Area of Rome. Those walking the Francigena will come across it upon leaving the village, before descending towards the valleys of the Sorbo.
