by Carlo Lapucci

As Mary and Joseph fled trying to reach the land of Egypt, King Herod's guards chased them, gaining more and more ground, until they were in a valley of rocks and boulders where no plants could offer a hiding place or refuge.

Maria, when everything seemed lost and the horses' hooves could already be heard clattering nearby, saw a small cave opening in the stone.

“Let's get in here, we'll at least delay the end,” he said.

They slipped into the cave, pushing the donkey forward, holding the Child in their arms and waited.

A spider that was in the hole of a stone immediately began to weave a large web, with which it quickly closed the entrance to the cave.

Herod's guards arrived and, cursing, began rummaging among the boulders, enraged by the disappearance of the fugitives.

"Where are they?" they said.

“Yet they were here right now.”

«They didn't go underground?».

"You can't see them on the street anymore."

«Behold, they have entered this cave»…

«Here, not really: can't you see there are cobwebs?».

«Let's not waste time... Let's run forward».

So the guards continued their run and the Holy Family was saved.

«Who would have thought that a spider's web would be like this

strong enough to prevent the soldiers from entering?", said Giuseppe, resuming the road, and before 

leave again, he blessed the spider, saying: «For your mercy, you will be welcome in the houses where you will bring luck and men will spare you».

In fact, since then the spider in the house cannot be killed, even if the web is removed.