Blog #2 — The Cristero War
Cristero Soldiers
Not since the Roman Era before Emperor Constantine had the Christian church been attacked so systematically and ruthlessly by a ruling government. Then came Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles, a self-proclaimed atheist who sought to enforce anti-clerical provisions embedded in the 1917 Mexican Revolutionary era constitution. President Calles began eliminating church privileges and seizing church properties across Mexico, the closing of religious schools and convents, and the exile or the execution of priests. The population at first resisted through non-violent/peaceful means, but when those proved unsuccessful, devout Catholics took up arms in defense of their faith. It is estimated that nearly 90,000 were killed, 56,882 associated with the government, 30,000 Cristeros, plus innocent civilians.
Fighting was concentrated in the western and central regions of Mexico as shown on the map below. Approximated 250,000 fled as refugees in search of religious freedom.
The Battle of San Julián, fought on 15 March 1927 would become the greatest military defeat of the Calle government over the course of the entire war. It began badly for the Cristeros as they were outnumbered by federal forces. As federal forces seized the town, they systematically looted, raped women and tortured Cristero prisoners. The midafternoon arrival of Cristero General Hernandez with reinforcements turned the tide into a dramatic Cristero victory. President Calles, angered over his forces defeat, ordered the arrest and execution of San Julian priest Father Julio Alvarez Mendoza in retaliation. Father Mendoza would be canonized a saint on 21 May 2000.
In total, some 23 Cristeros would be declared saints for their unwavering support of the Christian faith. This includes a 14-year-old Cristero boy named Jose Sanchez del Rio. He was tortured repeatedly, refusing to deny his faith. Marched to the cemetery, “the soldiers stood the boy before a newly dug hole, his grave. The executioners riddled his battered body with bayonet stabs. At each stab, the boy cried out louder, “Viva Cristo Rey!”
“The captain drew his pistol and shot him in the head. José fell into the pit. It was half past eleven on Friday, February 10, 1928.”
“The spectators stood in shock and silence. The only sound was the soft sobbing of Jose’s mother, who had accompanied him to the last moment, praying for courage for her son to die well. The villagers had never seen anything like this. Even the federal soldiers, some who were reluctantly obeying the orders, were amazed at such courage.”
“Life was extinguished in the body of José Luís Sánchez del Río, but his soul had entered eternal glory.”
Such was the dedication of Cristeros to their cause. Despite its military advantages in manpower and material, the federal government failed to break the rebellion. It ended in a stalemate, with the government ending its attacks on religious freedom.
