THE MEXICAN TEENAGER WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR CHRIST ON FEBRUARY 10, 1928

José Luis Sánchez del Río (1913–1928) was a young Mexican teenager and martyr of the Cristero War, a religious conflict that occurred during the persecution of Catholics by the Mexican government between 1926 and 1929.

He was born on March 28, 1913, in Sahuayo, Michoacán, into a Catholic family. From a young age, he showed a deep faith and admiration for those who defended religious freedom during the persecution of the Church in the country.

At the age of 13, he asked to join the Cristero forces, not as a combatant, but as an assistant, caring for horses and helping with basic tasks. He was captured by government troops in 1928 after a confrontation.

During his captivity, he was pressured to renounce his faith.  According to surviving accounts, he repeatedly refused. Finally, after being cruelly tortured, he was executed on February 10, 1928, in his hometown of Sahuayo. Tradition recounts that his last words were: “Long live Christ the King!”

Decades later, his story began to spread widely. He was canonized on October 16, 2016.

Today he is considered a symbol of religious fidelity and youthful courage, especially in Mexico, and his feast day is celebrated on February 10.