Every year, on the night of September 15th, a powerful cry echoes across Mexico from the Zócalo in Mexico City, beneath the illuminated balcony of the National Palace. ¡Viva México! Hundreds of thousands of voices join in this resounding shout, marking the vibrant commencement of Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations. Like any momentous occasion, the ringing of a historic bell plays a central role in this passionate event known as El Grito de Mexico.
This impassioned “cry of Dolores,” or el grito de Dolores, has been a cornerstone of Mexican identity, celebrated annually for over two centuries. Interestingly, while el grito de Dolores originates from the town of Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, the word “dolores” itself translates to “pains” in English. This is a poignant reminder of the hardships endured by the people of the Viceroyalty of New Spain under colonial rule. Their cry for independence was a collective expression that enough was truly enough.
In the pre-dawn hours of September 16, 1810, around 2:30 am, a call to action reverberated from the Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Dolores. It was there that Don Miguel Gregorio Antonio Ignacio Hidalgo y Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte Villaseñor, a local Roman Catholic priest – simply known as Hidalgo – commanded the church bells to ring, summoning his parishioners. In a stirring address, Hidalgo vehemently denounced the oppressive Spanish government and passionately urged the people to rise in revolt. This compelling and historic speech, igniting a decade-long war for liberation, became immortalized as el grito de Dolores.
Image: The iconic Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Dolores church and bell tower in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico, the birthplace of Mexican independence.
The Recitation of Patriotism
While the exact words spoken by Hidalgo remain a subject of historical debate, scholars generally concur on his core message: a powerful call for his people to break free from the shackles of European colonial oppression and to reject subservience to Napoleonic rule in Spain. His resounding cry of “Death to bad government!” resonated so deeply that every year on September 15th, the President of Mexico reenacts this pivotal moment, initiating the following day’s independence festivities.
Around 11:00 pm, the President appears on the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City and rings the very same bell that Hidalgo rang in 1810. This bell, now a cherished national symbol, resides permanently in the National Palace due to its immense historical significance. The President then delivers a recitation of patriotic fervor, a modern interpretation loosely based on the original grito. While the wording may vary slightly each year, it invariably honors the heroes of the revolution and culminates in the resounding, threefold shout of ¡Viva México!
Image: President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, accompanied by his wife Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, proudly waves the national flag and rings the historic bell during the Grito de Dolores ceremony in the Zócalo, Mexico City, on September 15, 2023, marking the 213th anniversary of the start of Mexican independence.
The most commonly recited version of el grito is as follows:
¡Mexicanos! ¡Vivan los héroes que nos dieron patria! ¡Viva Hidalgo! ¡Viva Morelos! ¡Viva Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez! ¡Viva Allende! ¡Viva Aldama y Matamoros! ¡Viva la Independencia Nacional! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México!
This translates into English as: “Mexicans! Long live the heroes who gave us our homeland! Long live Hidalgo! Long live Morelos! Long live Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez! Long live Allende! Long live Aldama and Matamoros! Long live National Independence! Long live México! Long live México! Long live México!”
The enthusiastic crowd responds with a resounding ¡viva! after each invocation, before the bell rings one final, celebratory time. The evening culminates in a breathtaking spectacle of fireworks and the stirring sounds of the Mexican national anthem. In certain years, often marking the end of a presidential term, the President will travel to Dolores Hidalgo – renamed to honor the father of Mexican independence – to ring the bell in the very place where history was made two centuries prior.
Image: Then Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, joins other dignitaries in leading a Grito de Dolores ceremony on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall, California, on September 15, 2006. Celebrations of Mexican independence extend far beyond Mexico’s borders. Image courtesy of Armando Arorizo, ZUMA Press.
Similar vibrant celebrations of El Grito de Mexico resonate across the globe, particularly in Mexican embassies and consulates, and wherever communities with Mexican heritage thrive. The presiding official, whether an ambassador, a respected dignitary, or even a school principal, leads the grito ceremony, complete with traditional flag waving, and rings any available bell to echo the spirit of independence. This year, wherever you are, join in the jubilation! Find a bell and ring along with all of Mexico in a joyous celebration of freedom and national pride.
Cover image: A vibrant exhibition painting depicting Hidalgo delivering the historic Grito de Dolores, with a symbolic bell overhead, proudly displayed in the Museo de la Independencia Nacional in Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico.
