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Cristero

Library

Documentaries & Podcasts

A curated, source-verified collection of films, documentaries and podcasts on the Cristero War, drawn from EWTN, Knights of Columbus, USCCB, Catholic Answers, FORMED and other trusted Catholic publishers.

Featured Documentary

For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada

Essential viewing

For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada

ARC Entertainment / New Land Films — Dir. Dean Wright · 2012 · 2h 25m · English

The landmark English-language epic that brought the Cristero War (1926–1929) to international attention. A retired Mexican general (Andy García) reluctantly leads an uprising against President Calles' brutally anti-Catholic government. The film dramatizes the real stories of Bl. Miguel Pro, St. José Sánchez del Río, and other martyrs with extraordinary historical fidelity, produced with the involvement of leading historians and the Knights of Columbus. Peter O'Toole's final theatrical film release. Available on Amazon Prime and Kanopy via library login.

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Full-Length Documentaries & Films

For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristeros — EWTN Special

For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristeros — EWTN Special

EWTN Global Catholic Network · 2012 · 26m 50s · English

EWTN's authoritative companion documentary to the For Greater Glory film. Interviews with leading Catholic historians, theologians and several of the film's cast and crew are woven into a crisp overview of the Cristero War. It explains the historical backdrop of the Calles Laws, the suppression of the Church and the grassroots armed resistance that emerged. An ideal classroom or parish introduction, freely available on EWTN's official YouTube channel with no subscription required.

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Mirando al Cielo (Looking at Heaven)

Mirando al Cielo (Looking at Heaven)

European Dreams Factory / Mediaquest — Dir. Antonio Peláez · 2023 · 1h 56m · Spanish

The most recent major film treatment of St. José Sánchez del Río, the 14-year-old Cristero martyr canonized by Pope Francis in 2016. Set in Sahuayo, Michoacán at the height of the Cristero War, the film follows young José as he joins the Cristero army, is captured and ultimately chooses martyrdom over apostasy. Released by Fathom Events to U.S. theaters in April 2023 with a 14-part devotional series featuring U.S. Catholic leaders. DVD via Ignatius Press.

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Padre Pro: Father Miguel Agustín Pro, Martyr of the Lord

Casa María / Christian Channel · 2007 · ~49m · English

This documentary chronicles the daring life of Bl. Miguel Agustín Pro, S.J. (1891–1927), the Jesuit priest who disguised himself as a mechanic, taxi driver and beggar to secretly administer the sacraments during the most violent years of the Calles persecution. Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1988, Pro was executed by firing squad without trial — and the government's own photographs of his martyrdom spread worldwide, backfiring against the regime. Streaming on Christian Channel; DVD from Casa María.

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Historical Interviews & Educational Videos

Viva Cristo Rey: Catholic Persecution in Mexico — Patrick Madrid

Viva Cristo Rey: Catholic Persecution in Mexico — Patrick Madrid

The Coming Home Network International · 2008 (uploaded 2018) · 50m 15s · English

One of the most comprehensive and accessible Catholic lectures on the Cristero War available for free online. Patrick Madrid — whose own family fled Mexico during the persecution — gives a deeply personal and historically rigorous account of how radical anticlericalism transformed into state-sponsored Catholic genocide under President Calles. Madrid traces the ideological roots from the French Revolution through Mexico's 1917 Constitution, the Calles Laws, the Church's response and the eventual Cristero uprising.

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Attack on Religious Liberty: Battle for the Faith in Mexico — Patrick Madrid

Lighthouse Catholic Media / Augustine Institute (FORMED) · 51m · English

This FORMED-exclusive Lighthouse Catholic Media talk is Patrick Madrid's polished studio presentation on the Cristero War, covering the full arc of Catholic persecution in 1920s Mexico. Madrid recounts the martyrdom of priests, religious and laypeople — including Knights of Columbus members — who refused to surrender their faith, drawing powerful parallels to contemporary religious liberty battles in the United States. Suitable for parish groups, adult faith formation and high school or university settings. Requires a FORMED subscription (free parish trials available).

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Podcasts

First Freedom Podcast

The Cristero War — with Dr. Julia Young

USCCB Office of Religious Liberty · USCCB (SoundCloud)

In this episode of the USCCB's official religious liberty podcast, historian Dr. Julia Young of The Catholic University of America — a leading academic expert on the Cristero War — explains its origins, course and lasting consequences. She discusses how the conflict shaped Mexican Catholic immigration to the United States, the role of the Knights of Columbus in international advocacy, and why La Cristiada remains relevant to contemporary religious liberty discussions. Free of charge on the USCCB website.

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Catholicism and Culture

The Cristero War and the Mexican Martyrs with Dr. Julia Young

Dr. Stuart Squires — Center for Faith and Culture, University of St. Thomas (Houston) · Spotify · Apple Podcasts

In this 2025 episode (57 min), Dr. Stuart Squires interviews Dr. Julia Young for a richly detailed conversation about the Cristero War and the Mexican martyrs canonized and beatified by the Church. Young addresses the historical causes of the conflict, the role of the Mexican government's anticlerical leadership, and the remarkable courage of ordinary Catholics — priests, laypeople and children — who gave their lives for the faith. A model of academic rigor combined with Catholic theological depth.

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Catholic Answers Focus

Los Cristeros: The Catholic Warriors of Mexico

Christopher Check — President, Catholic Answers · Catholic.com (English & Spanish)

In this Cinco de Mayo bonus episode (May 2022), Christopher Check — a well-known Catholic historian — delivers an impassioned account of the Cristero fighters: who they were, what they fought for, and why their story is largely unknown in both Mexico and the United States. He argues the Cristeros represent one of the most dramatic examples of lay Catholic resistance to government tyranny in modern history, covering key martyrs including Bl. Miguel Pro and St. José Sánchez del Río. Free to stream in English and Spanish.

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Additional Learning Resources

This library is curated from reputable Catholic sources and will continue to grow. Suggest additions via the Newsletter contact.