Brusselsestraat 17, in the 18th century more than once called the 'gardeners' lounge', was the address of the guild of the 'gerderen', gardeners and winegrowers, who in those days could also be found in Maastricht.
The gable stone shows a man in papal robes with tiara (=tricorn) and ferula (=cross staff); the attributes belonging to that office. The inscription reads: S URBANE.
It is therefore obvious that this is Urban, pope, martyr and saint, and he was also the patron saint of the gardeners' guild.
He is therefore often depicted with gardeners' tools, a bunch of grapes or a vine.
On the stone to the right you see a pruning knife and on the left possibly a planting stick, or something that looks like a shovel also known as a "plant digger".
What is missing is a bunch of grapes in his left hand. Now it looks as if Urbanus is holding an ice-cream from the chip shop housed in that building.
However, this is a bundle of flames that is supposed to represent lightning. It was hoped that the saint would be able to control this "flame lightning" literally and figuratively, because he was also venerated as a protector against lightning strike.
In Germany Pope Urban (235) is the patron saint of wine-growers in particular, and processions through the vineyards on St. Urban's Day beg for good weather and a bountiful harvest through his intercession. This happens on 25 May when the vines are in flower and the is icy cold period of the Ice Saints - they hope - is over.
Hat Urbanstag schon Sonnenschein,
verspricht es viel und guten Wein.
In France they venerate another Urban as their patron saint, namely Urban of Langres.
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