Columbus Day

I originally posted this last year on October 9th, 2006.

Today is Columbus Day. It is the federal holiday set aside to honor the man credited with discovering America. Here in Hawaii however, it is not known as Columbus Day but as Discoverer's Day.

Funny, but I haven't seen much in way of honoring Christopher Columbus today.

So therefore I am posting an entry to honor this devout Catholic explorer.

"Wherefore Your Highnesses...determined to send me, Cristobal Colon, to the said parts of India...and ordered that I should not go by land to the East, as the custom was, but by way of the West, by a course which no man, to our certain knowledge, has taken until this day."...from Columbus' journal

From reading a little on Columbus, I learned he was a scholar. He liked to surround himself with learned people, of all nationalities and walks of life.

Columbus first went to sea at the age of 14. When he grew up he was convinced that there was a westward route to Asia. It was something he was determined to pursue but the cost of the voyage would be high. He needed the backing of a powerful nation.

He first approached the king of Portugal, the country where Columbus was living. But the king was advised that Columbus' idea was riduculous and he therefore rejected Columbus. He then approached the leaders of his hometown of Genoa. They too turned Columbus down. The main reason for this being that since he had left Genoa, the did not have confidence in this absent native son. He tried different countries including England, but the rulers all turned him down, including King Henry VII.

Columbus, a widower by this time, was running out of options so he took his small son Diego and left Portugal for Spain. There Queen Isabella would for five long years raise his hopes and dash his hopes. Columbus was very disheartened by this time, especially since he had with him his small son.

One day he took the boy to the local monestary in order to seek shelter for his son. He plead so well for his son's sake, that he caught the attention of a friar, Father. Juan Perez. Father Perez recognized that this man was no common begger and he invited Columbus to talk. Columbus poured out all his ideas while Father Perez listed. By the end of their conversation Father Perez was as excited on the prospect of this exploration as was Columbus. He saw an opportunity for Columbus to bring the Gospel to the Indies.

The next day, Father Perez went to see Queen Isabella. He had no trouble getting an audience with the queen since he was her confessor. During this meeting Father Perez plead Columbus' case for him. The queen then ordered that Columbus be summoned to her court immediately.

"On April 30, 1492, the famous "Capitulations" were signed by the Spanish court. He was to be given the title of "Admiral of the Ocean Seas", governorship of any lands he might find, and a tenth of all profits resulting from the expedition. Also, he was to be provided with three ships, in whcih to carry his expedition; these would be outfitted at the expense of Spain."

from Our American Catholic Heritage by Albert J. Nevins, M.M.