The Patron Saints of Cobblers

Map

Relief of St Mark and St Anianus att. to Pietro Lombardo, Scuola dei Calegheri

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April 25th is the feast day of St Mark the Evangelist, who is not only the patron saint of Venice, but also that of shoemakers and cobblers.

In Campo San Toma stands a 15th century building, which once belonged to the Scuola dei Calegheri e Zavetteri (guild of shoemakers and cobblers). The relief above the door, which has been attributed to Pietro Lombardo (1435-1515), depicts St Mark healing the Alexandrian cobbler Anianus, who had seriously injured his hand while repairing the saint’s sandals. Mark later converted Anianus and his family to Christianity. Anianus went on to become the Patriarch of Alexandria. 

Anianus is recognised as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, sharing both a feast day (April 25th) with St Mark and the patronage of cobblers. 

Fragments of frescoes from the fifteenth century have survived in the main room of the scuola, which now houses a small public library. 

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Scuola dei Calegheri

St Anianus

St Mark