“The demand [for religious freedom] is because of the love we have for our nation; we seek to engender confidence in young Mexicans, reminding them that Catholics must also be responsible for their environment,” she added.
Likewise, Perea explained that the march seeks to bring together adolescents and young people “to work together to build the kingdom of God,” being an annual reminder that “Mexico continues to be an ideal place for young Catholics.”
The pilgrimage will go to the monument of Christ the King, an imposing 75-foot statue that crowns Cubilete Hill, erected in 1950 in tribute to the martyrs of the Cristero War.
In 1926, the Cristero War, which lasted until 1929, broke out in Mexico due to the religious persecution that Catholics suffered in the country under the government of President Plutarco Elías Calles. The regime killed not only those who took up arms to defend their faith but also leaders who peacefully expressed in public their opposition to the anticlerical laws enacted by Calles.
Despite the government’s repression, the Cristero resistance was noted for its battle cry of “Long live Christ the King!” and “Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe!”