Cry of Dolores

El Grito de Dolores
A statue of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in front of the church in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato
Observed by	Mexico
Significance	Commemorates the start of the Mexican War of Independence, by repeating the words of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in the early morning of 16 September 1810
Date	16 September
Next time	16 September 2024 (2024-09-16)
Frequency	Annual

The Cry of Dolores^{[n 1]} (Spanish: Grito de 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 he ends the speech by shouting "Viva Mexico!" three times followed by the Mexican National Anthem.
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