¡Viva Mexico!

Bienvenidos mis amigos y ¡ Feliz 16 de Septiembre!

¡Hoy es el día de la independencia de México!

Today is Mexico's Independence Day and nothing quite says Mexico than Vicente Fernandez singing "El Rey." In fact, this video may just encompass the full essence of México:

My high school team used to sing that song all the way home after a big win in playoffs... I also need a hat like that...and no, not for the biretta.

Now you may be thinking...what about Cinco de Mayo? As Gerardi so eloquently put it, it seems as though "You Mexicans will just take any excuse to drink a crapload of tequila." And while I do not deny that by any means (it is kinda true), 16 de Septiembre is the actual independence day. Cinco de Mayo just commemorates a huge, and unlikely, victory in Puebla over some Frenchies.

Anywho. In the early hours of September 16th, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato, rang the church bell to gather the townspeople. He called for the people of Mexico to rise up against the Spanish Crown, thus initiating Mexico's War of Independence. The country did not achieve independence until 1821, but it is this event, known as the Grito de Dolores which is commemorated every year in town squares across Mexico. So there you are, a priest made Mexico. This event is still commemorated every year

On the 15th, at 11 pm el Presidente goes out onto the central balcony of the Palacio Nacional, rings the bell (the same bell Hidalgo rang in 1810, brought to Mexico City in 1886) and cries to the people gathered in the square below, who respond "¡Viva!"

Like here:

or here:

So there we are...Mexico. My hometown. I love and hate. ¡Viva la independencia!, ¡Viva la América!, ¡Muera el mal gobierno! Let us pray to Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, to intercede on behalf of this violently secular (Catholicism was illegal in the twenties in a violent revolution against the Church) nation that its politicians may, idk, do something. Also, let us pray to Blessed Miguel Pro...

He is one of my favorite saints. As the tidal wave of anti-catholicism came crashing down on Mexico, he, remaining a priest, privately said Masses in homes. He would come in the middle of the night dressed as a beggar to baptize infants, bless marriages and celebrate Mass. He would appear in jail dressed as a police officer to bring Holy Viaticum to condemned Catholics. When going to fashionable neighboorhoods to procure for the poor, he would show up at the doorstep dressed as a fashionable businessmam with a fresh flower on his lapel.

Falsely accused in the bombing attempt on a former Mexican president, Miguel became a wanted man. Betrayed to the police, he was sentenced to death without the benefit of any legal process. On the day of his execution, Fr. Pro forgave his executtioners, prayed, bravely refused the blindfold and died proclaiming, "Viva Cristo Rey", "Long live Christ the King!" with his hands outstretched in a Cruciform with a Rosary in one hand and a Bible in the other.

Let us pray for his canonization and always ask for his intercession in these times when the Catholic Church is under a dreadful assault.

Blessed Miguel Pro, pray for us and always intercede for all of us to Jesus for us to have the courage and steadfastness to defend the Church in these very troubling times. You've said at your martyrdom: "Vivo Cristo Rey!!!" (Long live Christ the King!!!). Christ the King, save us!

So there we are.

And I conclude with an attempt to instill some culture in all my gringo amigos out there: (also, feel free to look up the anthem and ALL its lyrics...they are pretty neat)

Here is an example of some great Mariachi and Ballet Folclórico:

and