Mexican Flag and Flag Day

The Mexican Flag

The tricolor design of Mexico’s current flag dates from the time of the country’s independence from Spain in 1821, although the current design of the national coat of arms, depicting an eagle posed on a cactus clutching a serpent, and it’s inclusion at the flag’s center, dates from 1968 and the time of the Mexico City Olympic games.

The green, white and red stripes of the Mexican flag stem from the banner colors of the Army of the Three Guarantees at the time of the Mexican Independence. The national flag was officially decreed by Agustín de Iturbide, first ruler and Emperor of Mexico after the War of Independence, and these colors originally bore these meanings:

Green: Independence; White: Faith or religion (the Catholic faith in particular); Red: Union (between Europe and the Americas)

During the time the Reform (La Reforma) of Benito Juarez, who with other liberals promulgated the Constitution of 1857 that stripped the church and the military of much of their power, privileges and holdings, the meanings of the colors of the Mexican flag changed, and are now the following:

Green: Hope; White: Unity or Purity; Red: Blood of the heroes.

Coat-of-arms

Mexican coat-of-arms

The symbolism of the national coat-of-arms is dear to the hearts of all Mexicans, and is based on a legend of the Aztecs in which the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli (“Hummingbird of the South”, a sun god who is offspring of the goddess Coatlicue, or “Mother of gods”) gives a directive to his people that they must wander until they find an eagle perched upon a cactus devouring a serpent, and there they must found the city of Tenochtitlan, now the site of Mexico City.

The correct salute to the flag is to stand at attention and raise the right arm so that it crosses the chest with the hand held flat (palm facing the ground) at the level of the heart; the fingers are straight and together, the elbow raised away from the side of the body.

Flag Day

The flag is honored on Mexico’s flag day, February 24th of each year, with the raising and saluting of the Mexican flag in public plazas and venues all across the country.

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