Felix of Nola

In the early 3rd century, near Naples, a priest named Felix was arrested for his faith and savagely beaten — until he somehow managed to run away. Two Roman soldiers followed in hot pursuit as Felix dodged this way and that, around a corner and by an old crumbling wall. In this wall there was a hole, and at the last minute he squeezed in, deep among the stones.

When the guards caught up, they argued whether Felix had turned right or left. One of them noticed the hole. “Ah, the perfect hiding place,” he said. But a glorious spider web draped over the opening. “No,” said the other guard, “he would’ve broken the web.” And away they went, leaving Felix behind, in the care of an eight-legged friend.

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