Frances Xavier Cabrini Day is a state holiday in Colorado that honors the humanitarian work of Frances Xavier Cabrini, who was the first American citizen canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. The holiday is observed annually on the first Monday of October, and it was established in 2020 to replace Columbus Day. Here are some key facts about Frances Xavier Cabrini Day:

• Frances Xavier Cabrini was an Italian-American immigrant who arrived in Colorado in 1902. She founded the Mount Carmel convent and grade school before also opening the Queen of Heaven Orphanage in Denver.

• Cabrini was dedicated to helping the poor, sick, and immigrants, and she established 67 institutions including schools, hospitals, and orphanages over the course of her life.

• Cabrini Day is the first state holiday named after a woman in Colorado, and it is the first paid state holiday in the nation that recognizes a woman.

• Supporters of Cabrini Day believe in its power to uplift and unite Colorado through kindness, compassion, and community-centered activities. They encourage people to take the Cabrini Day pledge to be kinder and more compassionate, and to work to improve the community they live in.

• The holiday offers an opportunity to celebrate and give back to the community, and it highlights the importance of social justice and humanitarianism. It also reminds Coloradans to be kinder, more compassionate, and seek ways to improve the communities in which they live.