La Rábida Monastery is the First Historical Monument of the Spanish Peoples, as well as Humankind Patrimony and the third declared National Monument in Spain, as early as 1856. And there is a strong and unique connection between La Rábida and Western Reserve Academy. Mrs. Karam explains:
“The cross that hangs in our Chapel actually has the name "La Rabida" and formerly hung in the church where Columbus prayed before setting sail...it seems that Spain brought it to the US as part of the World Expo at the turn of the 20th century, and then sold it to pay off bills from that event. A benefactor of the school bought it.”
It will be quite a special moment when the students can talk to the Franciscan monks about that very cross and show it to them – if only on cell phones or cameras.
Katia, Incantato's concert manager Spain and Portugal continues: Let me add a little about the importance of the Monastery in the Columbus adventure:LA RÁBIDA: WHERE COLUMBUS DREAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE
After eight years being unsuccessful in Portugal, where Columbus was trying to get royal sponsorship for his new route to “the India”, he arrived into Spain in 1485. Then Columbus decided to leave his son Diego in Huelva, with some family, and to travel to Cordoba, to present his idea to the Catholic Monarchs. But he was not successful either. And this took him six long years.
Poor and without any more possibilities, he came back to Huelva in 1491.
Then, in his way to board a boat to France, he stopped in La Rábida Franciscan Monastery, where he would be hosted for free - as he was broken. Here you have a pic of the room where he should stay.And surprisingly, it was in La Rábida Monastery were Columbus got finally a good audience and the key contacts for his final travel.La Rábida Monks had many links with the sailors’ world, as they were in charge of the religious affairs of all the Atlantic islands. And Columbus explained them all his idea.
You can see this very famous painting from Cano de la Peña depicting this very moment.Columbus had long conversations with Fr. Marchena, and possibly told his “secret” intentions to Fr. Juan Perez, who gave him a support letter for the Queen Isabella. The Royal answer was an invitation to be received “with new and decent clothes, and a horse” in Granada. The Catholic Monarchs were victorious at the Reconquest final battle in Granada. And there Columbus had a – finally!- successful meeting with Queen Isabella. He told her the “secret” possibilities that this trip could bring... and they signed a contract (Capitulaciones de Santa Fe). Columbus then came back all the way to La Rábida Monastery, to get ready for the most incredible trip of the Era…
As you might suppose, none of the sailors around the area would believe his words, and even when he had the
money, he was lacking the crew for this boats… Then the monks were once again the key. They introduced him to Alonso Pinzon, a shipyard owner who had the money and enthusiasm to support Columbus and contacted other VIPs for him. Supposedly, Columbus had to share also with him the “secret” intentions of his adventure to gain his confidence. With all these supports, Columbus could finally enroll a crew for the trip to the unknown America… mostly from the areas nearby La Rábida, Palos de la Frontera…And still for his following sailings, most of the crew were local inhabitants of the area… a long long long sailing tradition!By the way, do you know the secret intentions that pushed Isabella so much to support Columbus trip? No less than the Lands of the Great Khan, the Mongol Empire! And she was just finishing the “Reconquest” of Spain!
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