El Grito Dolores 2025

Description

The Cry of Dolores occurred in Dolores, Mexico, on 16 September 1810, when Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his church bell and gave the call to arms that triggered the Mexican War of Independence. The Cry of Dolores is most commonly known by the locals as « El Grito de Independencia » (The Independence Cry).

Every year on the eve of Independence Day, the president of Mexico re-enacts the cry from the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City while ringing the same bell Hidalgo used in 1810. During the patriotic speech, the president calls out the names of the fallen heroes who died during the War of Independence and ends the speech by shouting « ¡Viva México! » three times, followed by the Mexican National Anthem.

In the 1810s, what would become Mexico was still New Spain, part of the Spanish crown.

Following Napoleon‘s overthrow of the Spanish Bourbon monarchy in 1808, Spain’s American possessions rose in rebellion, refusing to accept Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as king.

In New Spain, the criollo leadership attempted to set a course of autonomy in support of the legitimate heir to the throne, Ferdinand VII, but the peninsular elite, fearing the loss of the colony, carried out a coup, also in the name of Ferdinand. Almost immediately, groups of creoles formed various plots around the viceroyalty, including in Querétaro, of which Father Hidalgo became a part.

When the plot was discovered in early September 1810, some plotters decided to proceed with the uprising.

Around 2:30 am on 16 September 1810, Hidalgo ordered the church bells to be rung and gathered his congregation. Flanked by Ignacio Allende and Juan Aldama, he addressed the people in front of his church, urging them to revolt. His speech became known as the « Cry of Dolores »

The liberated country adopted Mexico as its official name. Mexico’s independence from Spain took a decade of war. Independence was achieved by the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire 11 years and 12 days later, on 28 September 1821. However, Hidalgo is credited as being the « father of his country