The full name of Christopher Columbus’ ship was Santa Maria de la Inmaculada Concepcion (Holy Mary of the Immaculate Conception). The great Discoverer had a devotion to Our Lady under this title long before the dogma of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception was defined in 1854 by Pope Pius IX. Too, just eight years previous to this ex Cathedra pronouncement, the United States of America was solemnly dedicated to Our Lady under this very same title at the Sixth Provincial Council of Baltimore in 1846. In fact, the Bishops from our country had at that time petitioned Rome to define the Immaculate Conception as a dogma of faith.
