You’ve likely heard of saints performing miracles—but did you know one of them involved a crab?
Yes, a humble crustacean is at the center of a legendary pious tradition surrounding St. Francis Xavier, one of the Church’s greatest missionaries!
In 1546, St. Francis Xavier was traveling to Malacca (modern-day Malaysia) when his ship was caught in a violent storm. Waves crashed, winds howled and the situation looked dire.
In an act of faith, the saint took his crucifix and cast it into the raging sea, entrusting the storm—and his very life—to God’s providence. Miraculously, the storm calmed and the ship was saved!
But there was one problem—his beloved crucifix was lost to the depths. Or so it seemed.
As St. Francis stepped onto the shores of Malacca, something unexpected happened. A crab emerged from the water, crawling towards him. Clutched in its pincers was his very own crucifix! The saint knelt, retrieved his sacred object, and blessed the crab before it scuttled back into the ocean.
To this day, a certain species of crab, Charybdis feriata, is known as the “Crucifix Crab” because of the cross-shaped markings on its shell. Coincidence? Some think not! Many believe this crab’s pattern is a lasting testament to the miracle that unfolded centuries ago.
St. Francis Xavier’s life was filled with extraordinary signs of God’s grace, but few are as uniquely charming as the story of the crab who carried a cross. Perhaps it’s a small reminder that even the simplest creatures can take part in God’s plan!
Would you recognize this crab if you saw one?
Photo credit: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Lawrence OP via Flickr
