Blessed José Luis Sanchez del Rio

By Sister Irene Hartman, OP

Holy Ones of Our Times

“If you shout, ‘Death to Christ the King,’ we will spare your life.” Jose chose instead to say, “Hail to Christ the King. Long live Christ the King. Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe.” These were the last words of a 14 year old Mexican lad who was put to death by government officials because he refused to give up his Catholic faith. Preferring death to freedom, he died a martyr. At his open grave, he was given one last opportunity to reject Jesus. Again he shouted, “Long live Christ the King.” He was shot seven times. After the first shot, he drew a large cross on the ground with his blood. After the other shots, he died kissing the cross.

Who is the 14 year old Mexican lad who gave his life rather than deny his faith in Christ? José was born on March 28, 1913 in Sahuayo, and attended school in his hometown.

At that time the Mexican government was intent on destroying the Roman Catholic Church, and Catholics were tormented, imprisoned, and put to death by the thousands. There was a Catholic group, called the Cristeros, who were determined to stop this oppression and killing. José’s brothers joined the group and José wanted to do the same, but his mother forbade it. The boy insisted that he wanted the chance to give his life for Christ and so come to heaven easily. Eventually José was allowed to join and he became the flag bearer of the troop, winning the name Tarcisius after the early Christian saint who was martyred for protecting the Eucharist from desecration.

For the anti-Catholic persecutors, the youth was too much of a defender of the faith. To break his resolve, José was made to watch the hanging of another Cristero who had been held in custody. José encouraged the man, saying that they would soon meet in heaven. He was devoted to the Blessed Virgin and frequently prayed the rosary in her honor. While imprisoned himself, José wrote to his mother saying that he was ready to fulfill the will of God. His father tried to raise a ransom for his release, but was unsuccessful.

The skins of his feet were sheered off and he was obliged to walk through the village to the cemetery. He wept and moaned in pain, but would not give in to the demands of is persecutors to deny Christ and say, “Death to Christ the King.” Made to stand in his open grave, the 14 year old José proclaimed, “Long live Christ the King.”

José, along with 12 other Mexicans who died in the Cristero War, have been proclaimed martyrs and were beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on Nov. 20, 2005.