A global saint for the modern world? the transnational campaign for the canonization of Christopher Columbus

Ramón Solans, Francisco Javier (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: This article analyzes the history of the campaign for the canonization of Christopher Columbus in the nineteenth century, the reformulation of the models of sainthood and, more generally, discourses that tried to explain the role of Catholicism in the development of Western civilization. I argue that the campaign was conceived as an apology for the contribution of Catholicism to the birth of the modern world and had, from its origins, a marked anti-Protestant character. Although the idea for the campaign originated in France, this campaign was characterized by its strong transnational dimension, involving Catholics on both sides of the Atlantic. In this sense, promoting a saint between two continents had a geopolitical dimension, reinforcing Rome’s connection with the Americas and, in particular, North America.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1017/S000964072610328X

Año: 2026

Publicado en: Church History (2026), 1-21
ISSN: 0009-6407

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/PID2023-146937NB-I00

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Historia Contemporánea (Dpto. Historia)