05/21/2026
Today the Church observes the memorial of the Mexican martyrs, among them six priests who were members of the Knights of Columbus. When the Cristero War broke out 100 years ago, Catholics in Mexico faced increasing persecution and even martyrdom at the hands of the government. In the face of these difficulties, the Knights of Columbus mounted an international campaign to defend the rights of the Church, raising $1 million for a campaign to educate the public and assist those affected.
Pope Pius XI explicitly recognized the Order’s role in his encyclical Iniquis Afflictisque, published Nov. 18, 1926, in response to the persecution in Mexico: “First of all we mention the Knights of Columbus … made up of active and industrious members who, because of their practical lives and open profession of the Faith, as well as by their zeal in assisting the Church, have brought great honor upon themselves.”
Read more: https://www.columbiamagazine.org/news-culture/catholic-history/2026/05/viva-cristo-rey/
(Photo provided by Knights of Columbus Multimedia Archives)
