The Church of St. Roche is situated in the Borgo San Rocco, just a few metres from the octagonal fountain, in Arsoli. The little church has a rich heritage of history and art in the frescoes that cover the walls and the vault, and in the numerous graffitti etched or inked onto the walls.
The building is one of the rural churches named in the pastoral visit carried out by Mons. Giovanni Andrea Croce, Bishop of Tivoli on 18 September 1566. At the time, the church was dedicated to St. Peter and its terrible condition lead the prelate to make the decision to incorporate it, along with three other rural churches, into the parish of the Holy Saviour.
A very recent study has dated the frescoes to late 15th – early 16th century.
When worship of St. Roche spread, in the years between late 16th - early 17th century, as he was invoked in protection against the plague that was coursing through the villages of Italy, his name was joined to that of St. Peter and the relative living from it given the title of the Chaplaincy of St. Peter and St. Roche. The 'plague saint' was depicted on the pass given to those who left the village during the time of the epidemic, along with St. Bartholomew, patron of Arsoli. Over time, the church became known as the Church of St. Roche, while the chaplaincy remained entitled to both saints. A chapel was then dedicated to St. Peter in the new church of the Holy Saviour, designed by Giacomo Della Porta at the end of the 16th century.
The frescoes in the interior, as of this time dated to the 16th century, depict: the crucifixion (front), the Virgin and the saints (on the walls) and the evangelists with their symbols (on the vault).
The walls also hold Latin references to the frescoes and numerous historical graffiti, most on the right hand side to the entrance, both engraved and inked.