Christopher Columbus (Cristoforo Colombo in Italian), the Genoese navigator undertook four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.
He indeed believed that divine intervention played a significant role in his life and voyages. His sense of destiny and divine purpose was a driving force behind his exploration efforts.
For instance, Columbus interpreted his survival of a shipwreck and other challenges as signs of God’s favor and guidance, which reinforced his conviction in his mission to discover new lands.
His personal faith and belief in divine providence were integral to his worldview and exploration endeavors.
Christopher Columbus deeply identified with St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, and saw himself as a figure bearing a Christ-like mission.
His belief that he was carrying out a divine plan was reflected in his adoption of the name Christo Ferens (‘Christ Bearer’).
He was also dedicated to the idea of reclaiming Jerusalem for Christianity, seeing this as a part of his divine mission.
He envisioned himself playing a key role in this religious and historical goal, reflecting his belief in his special destiny and the divine support he perceived throughout his voyages.
Upon returning to Spain in 1504, Columbus faced significant personal and professional challenges.
At fifty-three, his health was deteriorating, with symptoms such as inflammation of the eyes and joint pain, which modern medical experts suggest might have been Reiter’s syndrome.
Despite his hopes for reinstatement and support, Columbus found himself sidelined. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, his former patrons, were skeptical of his condition and intentions, and Isabella’s imminent death further diminished his prospects.
Columbus spent his final years in Seville, waiting in vain for a court summons that never came.
He spent his final months in Valladolid, struggling with poor health and frustration over unfulfilled promises of recognition and reward.
His condition worsened significantly on May 20, 1506, and he passed away with his family and a priest by his side.
After his death, Columbus was buried in the Carthusian monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas in Seville.
His remains were moved several times over the centuries: first to Santo Domingo, then to Havana, and finally back to Spain, where they were interred in Seville Cathedral in 1898.
Columbus never realized the full extent of his discovery, believing until his death that he had reached parts of Asia rather than a previously unknown continent.
