Statue of Saint Roch
Sacral small monument
Near the center of the village, in the front garden of a house, a baroque statue of Saint Roch, about half life-size, carved and colored from soft stone. The name of the person depicted and the date of the statue's erection can be read on the simple, columnar, block-like pedestal. The statue, which is a beautiful monument of folk stone carving, depicts the French hermit saint who lived in the 14th century according to traditional iconography: in pilgrim clothes, with a walking stick in his hand, and a dog at his feet, which holds a slice of bread in its mouth. (These attributes refer to the legend of Saint Roch, who contracted an epidemic disease on the road during his pilgrimage to Rome, but an angel miraculously healed the fallen wanderer, and a dog took care of his nutrition.) Roch is therefore known, among other things, as the patron saint of wanderers on the road and of epidemic patients, e.g. those with the plague. Apparently for the latter reason, his statue was erected in many places in the modern era, which was plagued by epidemics, including Ipolybalog, which highly valued public religious works. The statue was recently renovated, so it is in good condition today. ;