City Council seeks historical landmark designation for Columbus statue

By Barbara Taormina

Five years ago, there were calls and a petition to remove the statue of Christopher Columbus at 250 Revere St. at St. Anthony of Padua Church. Some residents argued that Columbus participated in the murders and enslavement of millions of Indigenous people and the statue at the Church was a tribute to genocide and colonialism.

This week the City Council joined together to sponsor and support a motion to request that state Rep. Jeffrey Turco and the Mass. Historical Commission collaborate with the Archdiocese of Boston to nominate Revere’s statue of Columbus as a national historic landmark. Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna, one of the original sponsors of the motion, gave a brief history of the statue commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and sculpted by Belgian artist Alois Buyens in 1892. It was originally installed at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, but in 1925 Cardinal William O’Connell ordered the statue to be moved to Revere as a gift to the city’s Italian American residents. The statue was intended to symbolize the importance of Columbus to the city’s immigrant community, and it has stood at St. Anthony’s for more than 100 years.

McKenna also shared the harrowing story of her family’s escape from Italy during World War II. “The statue is a tribute to my mother and what the Italian people endured,” said McKenna, adding that the timing of the motion was especially significant since October is Italian American Heritage Month.

Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya said she regularly attends St. Anthony’s church, and the statue is personally meaningful to her. “It’s an important part of my heritage and history,” she said, adding, “This is special to my heart.”

Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro described himself as a proud Italian American. “Five years ago, there were threats to take the statue down. Now we are trying to make it a historical landmark. This is a proud day, and I’m proud to be part of that,” said Cogliandro.

The effort to remove the statue was also clear in the memory of Councillor-at-large Anthony Zambuto. Zambuto said he remembers the horror of someone saying during a political rally that the statue has to go. “It was horrifying to hear someone say that. If we go through with this motion, that will never happen,” said Zambuto, who referred to the move throughout the country to remove certain statues and monuments.

“This is our heritage, our history, and it’s not going to be erased,” added Zambuto.

McKenna said she discussed the motion with church officials at St. Anthony’s, and they support the plan.