Saint Christopher is considered the patron saint of travelers, sailors, porters, drivers, and even postal workers. That’s why on Via Roma, to the left of the enormous Poste Italiane building — a fine example of Fascist-era architecture — you can see a large statue of Saint Christopher.
According to legend, he was an exceptionally strong man. He lived by a river and believed his purpose in life was to help others. The river was fast and there was no bridge across it. So whenever someone needed to reach the opposite bank, Saint Christopher would lift the person onto his shoulders and carry them safely across the rushing water.
One day, a small boy asked for his help. Christopher lifted the child onto his shoulders as if he weighed nothing, but with every step through the river, the boy became heavier and heavier. When they reached the opposite bank, the child revealed that his name was Jesus Christ and said that by carrying Him across the river, Saint Christopher had carried the weight of the whole world.
That is why Saint Christopher is so often depicted with a child on his shoulder and a staff in his hand.