St. José Luis Sánchez del Río (1913–1928) was a Mexican boy hero of the Cristero War, a fierce anti-Catholic persecution in 1920s Mexico. As a child, José was devout and admired the Cristero rebels fighting for religious freedom. At age 13, he begged his mother’s permission to join the Cristeros; she reluctantly agreed, saying, “God’s will be done.” Too young to fight, José became a flag-bearer for the cause. In February 1928, during battle, he gave his horse to the general whose horse was shot, enabling the Cristeros to escape while José covered the retreat. He was captured by government forces and imprisoned in his hometown church, where his captors forced him to witness the hanging of another Cristero to intimidate him. But José encouraged the man, saying they would soon meet in Heaven. Refusing to renounce Christ or shout loyalty to the anti-Catholic regime, José remained steadfast. On the night of February 10, 1928, the 14-year-old was tortured – the soles of his feet were cut and he was made to walk through the town toward the cemetery. In agony but resolute, José shouted “Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”) with every step. At the cemetery, the soldiers brutally killed him—shooting him after he refused a final chance to deny his faith. When found, his blood was traced on the ground in the sign of a cross. St. José Sánchez del Río was canonized in 2016 by Pope Francis. Despite his youth, he had the courage of a martyr and is honored as a patron of all who suffer for their faith and a powerful witness that holiness and bravery are possible even in childhood.