This Tuesday, November 18, at 7:00 p.m., the presentation of the new book by Father Javier Olivera Ravasi, La Contrarrevolución Cristera, published by Homo Legens. The event will take place in the auditorium of the Parroquia Santísimo Cristo de la Victoria (Calle Fernando el Católico, 45, 28015 Madrid).
The work of the Argentine priest and historian known for his defense of tradition and his efforts in disseminating knowledge about Hispanic Christendom delves into one of the most decisive episodes of 20th-century religious persecution: the epic of the Cristeros in Mexico. But Olivera Ravasi does not limit himself to a chronological recounting. Following the line of Jean Meyer and Father Alfredo Sáenz, the author transcends the recounting of facts to present the Cristiada as the direct confrontation between two worldviews: the Catholic cosmovision, patriotic and deeply rooted in Mexican and Hispanic identity, and the revolutionary, Masonic, and secularist ideology, which sought to uproot faith from the soul of the people. This clash, according to the text, can only be fully understood within the theology of history, in which the City of God and the earthly city are distinguished, as described by Saint Augustine. The radical anti-Christian stance, expressed even in sacrilegious slogans by the revolutionaries, reveals a spiritual background that goes beyond mere politics.
A Parallelism with Other Catholic Feats
The book emphasizes that the Cristero resistance was not an isolated phenomenon. In its prologue, Santiago Cantera Montenegro, O.S.B. —who was prior-administrator of the Abbey of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen—, recalls that the courage of Mexican Catholics finds echoes in other similar feats, such as the epic of La Vendée during the French Revolution, crushed with ferocity by those who proclaimed themselves defenders of freedom.
Cantera also highlights the parallelism between the Cristeros and the Carlist combatants during the 1936-1939 War, especially the Requetés, whose cry of «¡Viva Cristo Rey!» echoed on the fronts as a symbol of faith and resistance, just as it did for so many Mexican martyrs before being executed by the revolutionary forces.
A Work That Seeks to Strengthen the Faith
La Contrarrevolución Cristera combines a solid historical study with a doctrinal background that guides the reader toward spiritual growth. The clarity with which the author presents the facts and the power of the martyrial testimonies make this book a work of great benefit for many souls. Among them stands out the figure of the young Cristero, Saint José Sánchez del Río, whose unwavering fidelity until martyrdom moves and impels a firmer adherence to Christ. The journey through the Cristiada, illuminated by examples of total surrender like that of the little Mexican martyr, offers not only historical knowledge but also a stimulus to live the faith with greater coherence in times of confusion.
An Event Open to the Public
The presentation at the Parroquia Santísimo Cristo de la Victoria, known for its intense liturgical life and its commitment to Catholic formation, will be an opportunity to meet the author firsthand and delve into a key episode for understanding religious persecution in the 20th century and the relevance of the cry: «¡Viva Cristo Rey!».