في يومها العالميّ… حيواناتٌ تركت بصمة في حياة القدّيسين

On World Animal Day, traditions highlight how specific animals supported the lives of various saints.

According to ACI MENA, a dog helped Saint Roch while he was serving plague victims in Italian cities. After contracting the disease in Piacenza, Roch withdrew to an isolated area without food. Tradition states a local nobleman's dog found him, brought him bread from its master's table, and licked his wounds. The dog's owner eventually discovered the sick saint after noticing bread disappearing daily. This animal is now a common feature in statues and images of Saint Roch, often depicted carrying a loaf of bread.

Salesian sources also recount the story of Grigio, a large gray dog that appeared to protect Saint John Bosco in 19th-century Turin. The dog reportedly emerged during moments when Bosco faced threats while serving poor youth, accompanying him through dark streets or standing between him and attackers before vanishing. Because the dog's origins were unknown and its appearances coincided with times of danger, many viewed it as a sign of divine protection.