Two examples of patere.

From the first years of its existence, the Scuola has taken upon itself to subvegnir li poveri bisognosi (support the needy poor). Members of the Banca et Zonta, in particular sindici, aggiunti, commissari, cancelliere, guardian da matin and guardian grando ultimo were expected to fulfil the duty of practical instruction and the evaluation of the financial situation of needy families. The giovine di cancello was charged with the responsibility of distributing aid. Elected pro tempore by the guardian da matin, he had to have a good reputation and be subjected to the guardian’s decisions; in addition to the agreed days – usually Sundays – he had to go to the Albergo della Scuola to distribute aid to the needy. In order to be eligible for economic help the needy had to present a “fede di miserabilità” (confession of misery) released by the parish priest, in which the composition of his immediate family, his good conduct and the effective state of indigence were asserted. The aid could be dispensed as a sum of money de soldi 8 e 20 la settimana (coins of 8 and 20 a week) or in monthly payments (so called months). But the charity work could assume different forms of aid, as for example: the pan which consisted of the distribution of two loaves of bread a day or one loaf every Sunday; the farina (flour) given out at Christmas and Easter or in particularly difficult times for the population; or, during particularly severe winters wood and coal were given out.
Other donations known as ad pias causas were made to religious institutions or charities of the city, such as the Poveri Frati Minori (the poor friars), the Muneghe di Santa Croce, l'Hospedal de Poveri Incurabili ecc.
The assignment of dowries to the donzelle da maridar (marrying damsels). represented one of the foundations of the Scuola’s activity of assistance. The conditions to make one eligible for a dowry, established for the first time in 1503, were very strict: the marriage had to be celebrated within the year; the father had to have been a confratello for at least five years and certify that his daughter was legitimate and was at least 16 years old; two Degani had to attest that the damsel was da ben and in a state of poverty; and finally, every damsel was obliged to present herself in the Scuola for the ballottazione (vote). Donations in addition to the dowries could be given for monacar, if the candidate decided to enter a convent rather than marry.
An additional support provided to poor confratelli consisted in the comfort and economic help that was given when they were ill, which task was overseen by the guardian da matin. The visitador agli ammaladi, worked under his direct instruction, having to ascertain the health of applicants, giving a certificate, known as the santo rosso, which allowed the holder medicines free of charge and a little financial help. The druggist, who had an agreement with the Scuola, was given a copy of the santo, printed in black ink, which at the end of every month allowed him to receive payment for the drugs from the Chancellery. The Scuola could count on two doctors, appointed every two years. The visitador agli ammaladi (visitor of the sick) was responsible for checking the conduct of doctors and druggists.
However, the Confraternita’s greatest commitment was to the solving of the housing problem, which was dealt with both with the direct construction of houses, to rent out or to give in free use (gratis et amore dei) in exchange for services to the church and during processions or funerals, and with the use of buildings received in donation or in wills (the so called Commissaríe which could regard town houses and also money funds, countryside estates on the terraferma or lively).
The distribution of houses was done through ballottazione (vote) by the eight people responsible for it. Candidates had to have been confratelli for at least five years. It appears that already in 1538, 32 houses had been distributed free of charge, but the amount of accommodation had to be notably greater as 59 requests were met in only five months.
Towards the middle of the 18th century, the Scuola owned about 360 buildings including shops and warehouses. Of this building policy, which extended to all the areas of the city and was also common to the other Scuole, we have as extant evidence on many buildings’ walls the patera (see fig.) with the two letters SR separated by the pilgrim’s staff of the Patron Saint.
It was a marca (sign) of ownership, a mark similar to the aristocratic and institutional ones which appeared on door keys or border edges. The patere had different shapes and dimensions, both on high-relief and on bas-relief, graffito and hollow. Some plastic representations where Saint Rocco is protecting the kneeling confratelli are referable to the first period, whereas the patere with a monogram appeared at the end of the 16th century and became so numerous that 51 still survive in the city. Many others, however, were destroyed by the new owners after 1806, when the building complex of the Scuola, except the seat, the church and its immediate buildings, was confiscated by the state and sold by auction during the Napoleonic period and later during Austrian and Italian periods.