View source for Saint José Sánchez del Río

{{Saints
|SaintName=Saint José Sánchez del Río
|SaintStage=Saint
|FeastDay=February 10
|SaintBirthPlace=Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico
|SaintBirthCoordinates=20.0586, -102.7158
|SaintDeathDate=1928-10-02
|DeathPlace=Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico
|SaintDeathCoordinates=20.0586, -102.7158
|SaintCauseOfDeath=martyrdom by shooting
|NotableAddress1=Church of St. James the Apostle, Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico
|NotableLabel1=Site of martyrdom and relics
|NotableCoordinates1=20.0586, -102.7158
|NotableAddress2=Our Lady of the Mount Church, 6917 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, IL 60402, USA
|NotableLabel2=Relics and American devotion site
|NotableCoordinates2=41.8631, -87.8070
|NotableAddress3=Salesian Institute "Ángela Segovia de Serrano", Barrientos, Mexico City, Mexico
|NotableLabel3=Relics and educational ministry
|NotableCoordinates3=19.3833, -99.1667
|AssociatedCountries=Mexico
|AssociatedDioceses=[[Diocese of San Juan de los Lagos]]
|Beatifier=Pope Benedict XVI
|BeatificationLocation=Vatican City
|Canonized=Yes
|Canonizer=Pope Francis
|CanonizationLocation=Vatican City
|SaintMiracle1=Healing of José Iván Maciel from leukemia
|SaintMiracle2=Healing of Ximena Guadalupe Mora from brain damage
|ReligiousAffiliation=Roman Catholic Church
|Patronage=Mexican youth; young Christians; against religious persecution
|Attributes=Cristero uniform; palm of martyrdom; writing "Viva Cristo Rey" with blood
|PrimaryShrine=Church of St. James the Apostle, Sahuayo, Mexico
|ReviewLevel=0
}}
'''Saint José Sánchez del Río''' (28 March 1913 – 10 February 1928), also known as '''Saint José of the Cristero War''', was a Mexican Catholic youth martyr killed during the Cristero Rebellion for refusing to renounce his faith.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_S%C3%A1nchez_del_R%C3%ADo |title=Jos%C3%A9 S%C3%A1nchez del R%C3%ADo |publisher=Wikipedia |access-date=2025-10-28}}</ref> According to historical records and testimonies from the canonization process, José was born in Sahuayo, Michoacán, to a devout family, joined the Cristero forces as a flag-bearer at age 13, and was captured by federal troops on 5 February 1928 during a skirmish.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=46079 |title=St. Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio |publisher=Catholic Online |access-date=2025-10-28}}</ref> Tortured for five days, including whippings and forced marches to the cemetery, he repeatedly shouted "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" ("Long live Christ the King!") and used his own blood to write the phrase on the church floor before being shot on 10 February 1928 at age 14.

The Cristero Rebellion (1926–1929) was a civil conflict in response to anti-clerical policies under President Plutarco Elías Calles, and José's death exemplifies the persecution faced by Catholics, as documented in Cristero chronicles and Vatican records.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-jose-sanchez-del-rio |title=Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio |publisher=Franciscan Media |access-date=2025-10-28}}</ref> Hagiographic traditions, such as his serene acceptance and visions of heaven, originate from family testimonies and cannot be confirmed independently but reflect the Catholic narrative of joyful martyrdom. Beatified in 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI and canonized in 2016 by Pope Francis, he is one of 25 Cristero martyrs canonized together, symbolizing youthful fidelity amid religious persecution.

José's relics rest in the Church of St. James the Apostle in Sahuayo, a site of pilgrimage. His story, dramatized in the 2016 film ''For Greater Glory'', inspires Mexican youth, though the Cristero War remains a sensitive historical topic with perspectives varying between Catholic and secular sources.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.saintspeterandpaulkirkby.co.uk/?p=2978 |title=Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio |publisher=Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church |access-date=2025-10-28}}</ref> Based on established Catholic tradition, his intercession is sought for young people facing trials, but consult primary Church sources for specific devotions. This reflects hagiographic accounts, though historical verification may be limited to trial records and family accounts.