Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini monument to replace Christopher Columbus statue in Little Italy

Thursday, February 19, 2026
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A new monument honoring an Italian American nun will go up in the spot where a statue of Christopher Columbus used to stand in Chicago's Arrigo Park.

That statue in Little Italy was removed in 2020, after a wave of protests over the controversial historical figure.



The Chicago Park District says a statue celebrating Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini will replace it.

Cabrini was among 157 nominations for the new statue.



"When Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini came to Chicago in 1899, she didn't just serve immigrant families, she built institutions that transformed lives. She founded schools, orphanages, and hospitals that cared for Italian immigrants facing hardship, and she ensured that resources flowed back into the neighborhoods that needed them most," Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. "Her work reflects Chicago at its best: a city that rises by lifting others. This monument at Arrigo Park will honor her enduring legacy and all of thecommunities who continue to shape our city."
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