St. Francis Xavier and the miracle of the crab

The scene presents one of the famous miracles recorded by the Xaverian biographer João de Lucena. When the missionary travelled across the Moluccan Islands, namely from the Amboin Island to the Ceram Island to visit Portuguese Christians, all of a sudden the ship was tossed by huge waves and the missionary lost his crucifix. But when the torment subsided and the passengers could come ashore, he was stunned to find the cross in the beach held by a crab.