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Flag Day |
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Día de la Bandera (Flag Da") is celebrated every year on February 24th since it was established in 1937 by the then President of Mexico, General Lázaro Cárdenas, during a ceremony before the monument to General Vicente Guerrero, who was the first to pledge allegiance to the Mexican flag on 12th March 1821. Flag Day is a national observance and is a day of unity, respect for national heroes and a hope for the better future for all Mexicans.
The history of the Mexican Flag is quite rich and very colorful. During the pre-hispanic period, according to legend, the Aztecs in search of their promised land, were told by their god Huitzilopochtli, that when they would find the eagle devouring a serperent on a nopal cactus tree, this was where they were to settle down and found Tenochtitlan, which today is Mexico City. Following the conquest, colonial leaders adopted a flag resembling that of Castille and on August 13, 1530, the Government of Don Alonso de Estrada ordered the first flag parade to commemorate the fall of Tencohtitlan nine years before.
The outbreak of the War of Independence, almost three hundred years later, brought new ideals, new leaders and new flags. Igniting the revolution, Don Miguel Hidalgo unfurled the standard of the Virgin of Guadalupe. During the same struggle, the General José María Morelos adopted several different flags, and upon consummation of independence in 1821, added the Flag of the Three Guarantees.
Since 1821 there have actually been eight flags used in Mexico, one of them twice. The 1st National Flag emerged in 1821 followed by the 2nd National Flag, the 3rd National Flag, then two "unofficial" flags, the 2nd National Flag (re-adopted), two un-named flags and now the 4th National Flag, officially adopted on 16th September 16 1968 with a Coat of Arms designed by the Architect Francisco Eppens Helguera.
In viewing the Mexican flag, there are three (3) colors, green, white and red, which stand for the following:
"Green is for hope and victory."
"White is for the purity of our ideals."
"Red is for the blood our national heroes shed."
As noted previous and in recognition to the Atzec culture, in addition to the bands of colour, the flag includes the emblem based on a legend which tells how the Mexicans traveled from Aztlán (now the state of Nayarit) in search of the sign that Huitzilopochtli had told them they would find in the place where they should establish their empire. This sign was an eagle on top of a Nopal cactus devouring a serpent. They found this on a small island in the middle of a lake. They settled there and founded the city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City.
So if you are visiting Cozumel on February 24th, you will find many flags available for sale, see thousands of flags flying outside homes, offices and find many events and parades honoring the Mexican flag. Today is an national observance, so it is not a national holiday, with businesses, schools and government offices will be open. We hope you will join us in this celebration of the history of our beautiful flag that represents all that the country of Mexico has to offer!
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Copyright 2000 - 2024 Sherri Davis, All Rights Reserved. Contributors retain the copyright to their work. Please do not take art or written content without permission. Other graphics and reference materials are used and attributed as per the Fair Use Provision of The Copyright Act and individual terms of use.
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