Legend of the Christ of Expiration in the Santo Domingo Church of Cartagena

Legend has it that in Cartagena de Indias, inside the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, there is a wooden sculpture known as the Christ of Expiration. This figure has a very interesting history.

It is said that one day, a mysterious man arrived at the church. He told the priest in charge that he had been hired to carve a wooden sculpture of a Christ. The priest welcomed him and asked what he needed to carry out his work. The sculptor replied that he needed a log.

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The priest went for a walk along the beach and found a log. He brought it to the sculptor, but the man told him the log was too small. So, the priest returned to the beach and threw it back into the sea. The next day, the priest went to the beach again and found the exact same log, but this time it had grown larger. He took it back to the sculptor, but he rejected it once more, claiming it was not wide enough. Again, the priest returned to the beach and threw it into the sea. The following day, the priest went walking on the beach and found the same log, but this time it was noticeably wider. He picked it up and brought it to the sculptor.

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When he presented it to the sculptor, the man said it was perfect and that he would begin working immediately. The mysterious sculptor locked himself in a room for days without ever coming out. His food was passed to him underneath the door. After some time, the priest no longer heard any noise from inside the room. Worried that something had happened to the man, he decided to break down the door. Upon doing so, he discovered a beautiful wooden sculpture of a Christ resting on a table, but there was absolutely no trace of the mysterious sculptor.