Church of San Rocco in Masse

Walking up the road that leads from Siviano to Cure you will encounter the hamlet of Masse. The church of S. Rocco was built there to protect the area. When the church was erected it was dedicated to two saints, Saint Rocco and Saint Pantaleon. It was probably built around the 15th century, when the saint started to be worshipped because of the plague, but it was not as big as it is now: it was so small that it looked almost like a catacomb.

However it had two, small altars, the high one and a smaller one on the side of the sacristy. After his visit in 1580, Saint Charles Borromeo ordered that the smaller altar be removed and the side door be closed and replaced by another door on the main facade. However, after about 10 years, nothing had been done, so the Bishop of Brescia, through one of his chancellors, forbade the celebration of masses until the works were carried out. The inhabitants bought the current altar, extended the church, opened a new door on the facade and erected a bell tower.
The gabled facade, characterized by a mixtilinear tympanum and a cross vault supported by four columns made of Sarnico stone, is preceded by a porch and three steps and enclosed by a wrought-iron gate. The church has a longitudinal plan and frescos by Domenico Voltolini. At the centre of the frame of the high altar there is a statue of Saint Rocco. The church’s chalice was carried out by Giuseppe Lugo.

Photos by: Linoolmostudio.it