Flag of Mexico - Dia de la Bandera

Author: Beth Gabriel

Article:
The Flag of Mexico is rich with historic symbolism. The
tricolors of green, white and red with the coat-of-arms centered
in the white middle stripe were adopted by Mexico following
their independence from Spain during the War of Independence in
1821.

There have been changes to the flag during history but the coat
of arms has always featured a majestic eagle holding a serpent
on top of a cactus. The current coat of arms was designed in
1968 by Helguera. Legend says that the Aztecs, then a nomadic
tribe wandering throughout Mexico, were waiting for a sign from
the gods telling them were to build their capital city. Their
god, Huitzilopochtli told them to search until they found a
place where they saw an eagle, devouring a serpent while perched
on a prickly pear tree, growing out of a rock submerged in a
lake. After wandering for two hundred years, they saw this
mythical eagle on a small island in Lake Texcoco and built their
capital, Tenochtitlan, where the main plaza in Mexico City is
now located.

Over the years the three colors of green, white and red on the
flag have remained the same but the meaning of the colors has
changed. The green stripe represents Independence from Spain or
can signify Hope. The white stripe represents purity of the
Catholic faith or Unity. The red stripe represents Heroes blood
or Religion.

When the flag of Mexico is paraded in front of a crowd,
bystanders raise their right arm, place their hand on their
chest parallel to the heart. The hand is flat with the palm
facing the ground. This salute is known as the El Saludo Civil
de la Bandera Nacional. On February 24 each year a national
celebration, Dia de la Bandera, Flag Day is held. This
commemorates this day in 1821, when all the factions fighting in
the Mexican War of Independence joined together to form the Army
of Three Guarantees.

Brought to you by www.FlagWave.com to honor your Mexican
heritage.

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