Today, we celebrate the great legacy of Christopher Columbus. With a deep and abiding faith in God and against seemingly insurmountable odds, Columbus led a voyage of three ships across the Atlantic Ocean and discovered America. The result of his brave expedition led to subsequent expeditions to America and, ultimately, the formation of the United States.

Leftist activists seek to destroy Columbus’s legacy and, by extension, damage America’s moral legitimacy. Decrying racism and genocide, the followers of woke leftism demand Columbus’s name be removed from history and replaced with the approved holiday of the liberal regime. Columbus represents the goodness of Christianity and America; therefore, he is the first enemy of the woke left revisionists. (READ MORE: The Historical Falsification of Columbus’ ‘Crimes’)

Columbus is not a villain — he is the hero of America. His faith, determination, and courage transformed America into the nation we have today. To that, we must be thankful.

 The Faith of Columbus

 Columbus was more than just a navigator; he was a man of deep faith. Columbus sailed not just to find a trade route to China, but to evangelize.

His first landing in the Americas was a providential event. When faced with a disgruntled crew, Columbus promised they would return to Spain if they did not reach land by the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar. On October 12, 1492, a voice cried, “Tierra! (land)” as the shore of the new world became visible. As written by Washington Irving in A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus; as Columbus landed, he knelt in prayer, saying:

O Lord, eternal and omnipotent God, Thou hast, by Thy holy word, created the heavens, the earth, and the sea; blessed and glorified be Thy name; praised be Thy majesty, who hast deigned that, by means of Thy unworthy servant, Thy sacred name should be acknowledged and made known in this new quarter of the world.

Columbus then named the first island, San Salvador (Holy Savior), for our Lord. Columbus and the priest aboard the ships believed they had a duty to save as many souls for Christ, especially after discovering that the Natives did not know about Christianity. Columbus and his crew would later celebrate the first Holy sacrifice of the mass in America on January 6, 1494.

While evangelization was essential to the voyage, Columbus hoped the voyage could raise enough revenue to fund a crusade to retake the Holy Land from the control of the Muslims. As recounted by Robert Markham Clements, Columbus wrote in his journal that:

I hope to God that when I come back here from Castile … I will find a barrel of gold, for which these people have traded, and that they will have found the gold mine, and the spices, and in such quantities that within three years the Sovereigns will prepare for and undertake the reconquest of the Holy Land. I have already petitioned Your Highnesses to see that all the profits of my enterprise should be spent on the conquest of Jerusalem, and Your Highnesses smiled and said that … even without the expedition they had the inclination to do it.

Even as Columbus eventually lost his governorship of the territories and was sent back to Spain in chains, he did not remain disgruntled. He planned to set sail again, but Columbus would become too ill. He later died in his Franciscan habit, surrounded by his Franscian brethren and sons. (READ MORE: Columbus and Biden)

For Columbus, his voyage was less about increasing Spain’s wealth and more about spreading Christianity. His devotion to the faith almost made him a canonized saint.

False Accusations

 American history always saw Christopher Columbus as a hero of America. Artwork, and statues across America show Columbus as a daring explorer, depicting with respect the bold adventure he embarked on. The days of the heroic Columbus are over. According to leftist revisionists, Columbus was an evil murderer, on par with Adolf Hitler. Individuals who know nothing about Columbus have villainized one of the West’s greatest heroes.

Columbus is accused of mistreating the natives, going so far as to say he wanted to perpetuate genocide against the natives. This accusation could not be further from the truth.

Besides his intention to convert the natives, Columbus did everything he could to protect them. While many Spanish officials would try to exploit the natives for their ambition, Columbus would often step in to protect the natives from exploitation. Columbus forbade unequal trade between the Spanish and natives, did not introduce slavery, and stopped the horrific practices — like cannibalism — of the natives. Dominican Bartolomé de las Casas, OP, a priest in the Spanish colony, would call Columbus the “Defender of the Indians” for his protection of the natives (defensor de los indios).

Slavery, war, and cannibalism were rampant in America before Columbus or the Spanish landed in the New World. Neither Columbus nor his Spanish companions introduced any barbaric practices that the revisionists claim. Columbus did not endorse the abuses that did occur by the Spanish officials. The massive deaths in the native population came from diseases such as smallpox and measles, which the Europeans unknowingly gave to the natives.

The woke left is not interested in giving an accurate account of Columbus’s actions but would instead create a false narrative that suits their agenda. As political commentator Michael Knowles once said: “None of the people who want to tear down statues of Christopher Columbus know anything about Columbus. They just want to tear stuff down.”

Columbus Founded America

 By far, Columbus’s most outstanding achievement was the discovery of America.

Though he never set foot on mainland America, Columbus’s voyage led to other successful voyages across the Atlantic. Following Columbus, Spain sent the Spanish conquistadors of Hernán Cortés, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, and Hernan de Soto to continue what Columbus started. These brave men would settle in the Americas and create Catholic colonies in the New World. The tales of the riches and wonders in the New World would spur the French and later British to send their colonies to America. Brave men would venture into unknown territories and spread the glories of Western Civilization into this new land.

Following the birth of the United States of America, Columbus was seen as a hero of the country and was given credit for discovering America. Our nation’s capital bears his name. A great statue of Columbus stands right outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., greeting visitors to our country. Columbus’s faith and courage inspired the naming the Catholic men’s group, The Knights of Columbus.

Presidents throughout American history have praised Columbus for his impact on American history. President Benjamin Harrison, who proclaimed Columbus Day a national holiday, called for “expressions of gratitude to Divine Providence for the devout faith of the discoverer, and for the Divine care and guidance which has directed our history and abundantly blessed our people.” (READ MORE: Happy Western Civ Day!)

President William Howard Taft praised Columbus at the 1912 dedication of the Columbus Memorial in D.C., stating: “Here was no Alexander, sighing for new worlds to conquer, but here was the apostolic spirit for one who sighed for quicker ways to make known to distant lands the sweetness of Faith and the light of Hope. Here was one who, like Napoleon, believed in his star; but the star of Columbus was the star of Bethlehem.”

Despite the vitriol promoted by liberal revisionists, America has always praised Columbus as a man of providence and inspiration. Without Columbus, there is no United States.

Today, Columbus serves as an inspiration for both Christians and Americans. His courageous journey was one of the critical turning points in human history. Sixteen countries have legal holidays celebrating his legacy, and many Catholic and Italian-American groups honor Columbus’s bravery. As leftist revisionists and the ignorant tear down a crucial aspect of America’s history, we should instead revere Columbus with ever more fervor. Columbus was one of the most remarkable men who ever lived.

As  Pope Leo XIII  wrote on the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas: “For the exploit is in itself the highest and grandest which any age has ever seen accomplished by man; and he who achieved it, for the greatness of his mind and heart, can be compared to but few in the history of humanity.”

Columbus is the first hero of America, and we should celebrate his achievements properly.

Michael Ippolito is the co-founder and President of the American Postliberal. Michael graduated from the Catholic University of America. He is published in Daily Signal, MRCTV, and Lone Conservative. You can follow Michael Ippolito on Twitter @mikeipps