Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday commemorating Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492, and Columbus Day 2025 falls on Monday, October 14. Christopher Columbus is the patron and namesake of the Knights of Columbus.
The Knights of Columbus was founded by Father Michael McGivney, who chose Christopher Columbus as a namesake for the organization because, in a time when anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant sentiments ran rampant, the American public had a strong affinity for this famous explorer.