Party and Wedding Planning

The holiday commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

However, the Mexican victory at Puebla only delayed the French invasion of Mexico City, and a year later, the French occupied Mexico. The French occupying forces placed Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico on the throne of Mexico; Maximillian and the French were eventually defeated and expelled in 1867 (Maximilian was executed), five years after the Battle of Puebla.

A common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day; Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16 (dieciséis de septiembre in Spanish).

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The most popular religious holidays in the Christian calendar are Christmas, which is preceded by the Advent season, and Easter, called by the Greek word “Pascha” (Πάσχα) among some Eastern Christians, which follows Lent (Great Lent in the Eastern tradition) and Holy Week. While Christmas is very popular, especially in Western countries, Easter is liturgically by far the most important celebration. (more…)