Chapelle Saint-Roch - Thon

This chapel is located on Rue de Gaurre in Thon, one of the most beautiful villages in Wallonia.

It is dedicated to St Roch and is sheltered by large lime trees . It is a small limestone building with a relatively simple architecture: square plan, short nave and three-sided chancel. The building has a facade of beautiful stonework. Typical elements of neoclassical architecture are recognizable, such as the pilasters and the triangular pediment. On the pediment of the main facade there is a small arched niche with a statue of Saint Roch . Above the doorway is a stone with the year 1849. This is probably the date the monument was built.

To make him recognisable, Saint Roch is presented with 'attributes' that recall his life. Traditionally, he carries a bumblebee (pilgrim's staff ), a scallop shell sewn onto his clothing, a sack, a hat and a pilgrim's cape. He is often accompanied by an angel with a banner that says: "Eris in peste palronut" (You will be an advocate against the plague) and/or a dog with a loaf of bread in its mouth . He lifts part of his cloak to reveal the plague bubble on his leg .

Willem Vandenameele