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¡Viva México!

The Cry of Independence

ONE OF THE established rituals of Mexico’s remembrance of her fight for independence is the Grito or “Cry of Independence”. Around eleven o’clock in the evening on the night of September 15th, the President of Mexico rings the bell of the National Palace on the Zócalo square in the center of Mexico City. The head of state hails the names of the leaders of the country’s independence struggle before shouting a threefold ¡Viva Mexico! Then, as the crowd in the plaza below goes wild, the President rings the bell again, waves the Mexican flag for all to see, and the national anthem is sung:

Gird, oh Fatherland, your brow with olive
by the divine archangel of peace,
for in heaven your eternal destiny
was written by the finger of God!

The whole thing has a strange buoyant solemnity about it, a splendid civic ritual set in the baroque surrounds of the old palace — it almost reminds one of the joyous Habemus papam from the balcony of St. Peter’s after the election of a pontiff.

RT has a clip of the Grito with some nice footage of the fireworks following; I especially like the Column with the Angel of Independence alight with fireworks. Below is a view Grito from the plaza below.

Published at 10:07 pm on Wednesday 27 October 2010. Categories: Mexico Tags: , .
Comments

But surely you do not support Mexico’s “fight for independence”? A crime against both God and man?

— L Gaylord Clark 28 Oct 2010 4:25 am

Mr. Clark, why is Mexico’s indpendence “a crime against God and man”?

¡Viva México!

— K. Dontoh 28 Oct 2010 4:19 pm

For the very simple reason that it was a revolt against the God-given authority of the King of Spain.

— L Gaylord Clark 28 Oct 2010 5:28 pm

Mr. Gaylord Clark, I see no reason to bring Obama into this.

What I find ironic here is that the Mexican Revolution quickly turned so anti-Catholic.

— hrg 29 Oct 2010 12:00 am

Ironic? All revolutions are inherently anti-Catholic.

— Baron v Hetterscheidt 29 Oct 2010 5:47 am

Indeed, Your Lordship. One mustn’t forget the Mexican revolution was esentially a Masonic, liberal, anti-Catholic conspiration, as were previously all the “independence wars” across Hispanic America.

The celebrations of “independence” carry all the trappings of nationalistic idolatry that accompany liberal republics – witness the so-called “Angel of Independence”. Andrew’s words tell the whole story: “…strange buoyant solemnity about it, a splendid civic ritual…”,”…reminds one of the joyous Habemus papam…”

— Alberto 30 Oct 2010 5:53 am

But it is ironic. Why Mexico, which despite being profoundly Catholic it soon became a crime to be Catholic priest, and not in the Protestant United States, which established the Novus Ordo Seclorum? Alberto touches on some of the answers for sure, but one would think the anti-Catholicism would have more easily festered north of the border.

— hrg 30 Oct 2010 1:56 pm

Excellent coverage! I only wish I was there during that great tradition… Great photos.

— M. P. 7 Nov 2010 8:02 pm
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