The Oratorio del Caravita is home to a pair of beautiful holy water stoups. Look closely at either of the acquasentiere, as they are called in Italian, and you will see a crab clutching a crucifix in its claws.
The 17th century oratory is dedicated to St Francis Xavier (1502-52), a missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. One day Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta, as he was born, was caught in a storm when travelling by boat to Malacca. He threw his crucifix into the sea, while praying for the storm to abate. When he later landed safely on the beach, he spotted a crab clutching his crucifix in its claws. Comments are closed.
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My name is David Lown and I am an art historian from Cambridge, England. Since 2001 I have lived in Italy, where I run private walking tours of Rome.
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