The UPAEP Museum in Puebla will host the exhibition “When Faith Challenged Power” throughout 2026, a show that commemorates the centenary of the start of the Cristero War and brings the public closer to one of the most significant episodes of the religious persecution suffered by the Catholic Church in Mexico during the 20th century.
According to ACI Prensa, the exhibition will remain open until January 16, 2027 and offers a journey through the history of the Cristiada through immersive recreations, historical documents and original objects used during the conflict.
The war that broke out in defense of religious freedom
The Cristero War began in 1926 after the enactment of the so-called Calles Law, promoted by President Plutarco Elías Calles. The legislation tightened restrictions against the Catholic Church, severely limiting the public exercise of the faith and the activity of the clergy.
The suspension of public worship decreed by the Mexican bishops and the growing government pressure led to an armed insurrection by thousands of Catholics who rose up against the anticlerical measures. Many of them fought under the motto “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”, which would eventually identify the entire Cristero movement.
Although the conflict left hundreds of thousands of victims and deeply marked national history, it remains a little-known episode outside certain academic and historical circles.
An experience to get closer to the life of the Cristeros
The exhibition seeks to transport the visitor to the daily life of those who lived through those years of religious persecution.
Through recreated settings, sound effects and dramatized testimonies, the show allows visitors to learn how many Catholics continued to practice their faith in secret while churches remained closed or under surveillance by the authorities.
Visitors can explore spaces that recreate clandestine meetings, hidden liturgical celebrations and scenes of family life during the conflict. The exhibition also includes photographs, flags, documents, garments and various original objects belonging to the Cristeros.
The importance of preserving memory
The organizers believe that the centenary of the Cristiada offers an opportunity to reflect on religious freedom and on the impact that political decisions can have on the daily lives of citizens.
Cruz Ugarte noted that the Cristero War usually receives less attention than other major events in Mexican history, such as Independence or the Mexican Revolution, despite its enormous social and religious significance.
The exhibition also invites reflection on the importance of dialogue and peaceful coexistence, as well as on the need to know the historical episodes that have shaped the country’s identity.
A century after the Cristiada
The commemoration of the centenary coincides with a renewed interest in the history of the Cristeros and in the testimony of those who suffered religious persecution during those years.
Among the best-known figures are Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and his companion martyrs, as well as Saint José Sánchez del Río, the young Cristero canonized by Pope Francis in 2016.
With this initiative, the UPAEP Museum seeks to contribute to the preservation of the historical memory of a conflict that continues to occupy a singular place in the history of the Church in Mexico and throughout Hispanic America and to bring the public closer to a historical reality that remains little known to a large part of Mexican society.