Jose Sanchez del Rio was born on March 28, 1913, in Sahuayo, Michoacán. When the suspension of public worship was decreed, José was 13 years and 5 months old. His brother Miguel decided to take up arms to defend the cause of Christ and His Church. José, seeing his brother's courage, asked his parents for permission to enlist as a soldier; his mother tried to dissuade him, but he told her: “Mom, it has never been so easy to earn heaven as it is now, and I don't want to miss the opportunity”. His mother gave him permission but asked him to write to the head of the Cristeros in Michoacán to see if he would admit him. Jose wrote to the Cristero chief, and the answer was negative. He was not discouraged and insisted again asking him to admit him, if not as an active soldier, then as an assistant.

In the camp he won the affection of his comrades who nicknamed him “Tarsicio”. His joy sweetened the sad moments of the Cristeros and everyone admired his gallantry and courage. At night he led the holy rosary and encouraged the troops to defend their faith. 

On February 5, 1928, a battle took place near Cotija. The general's horse fell dead from a bullet, José got off his mount with agility and told him: “My general, here is my horse, save yourself, even if they kill me. I am not needed and you are” and gave him his horse. In combat he was taken prisoner and brought before General Callista, who reprimanded him for fighting against the Government and, seeing his determination and courage, said to him: “You are a brave boy. Come with us and you will do better than with those Cristeros”. “Never, never! First die! I do not want to join the enemies of Christ the King! I am your enemy! Shoot me!”. 

The general had him locked up in the jail of Cotija, in a dark and smelly dungeon. José asked for ink and paper and wrote a letter to his mother saying: “Cotija, February 6, 1928. My dear mother: I was taken prisoner in combat on this day. I think I am going to die, but it doesn't matter, Mom. Resign yourself to God's will. Don't worry about my death... do God's will, have courage and send me the blessing together with my father's...”.On February 10, 1928, at about 6:00 p.m., he was taken out of the church and taken to the Refugio barracks. At 11:00 p.m. the supreme hour arrived. They skinned his feet with a knife, took him out of the inn and made him walk with blows to the cemetery. The soldiers wanted to make him apostatize by force of cruelty, but they did not succeed. God gave him the strength to walk, shouting “vivas” to Christ the King and to Saint Mary of Guadalupe. Once in the cemetery, he asked where his grave was, and with an admirable trait of heroism, he stood on the edge of the grave itself, to avoid the executioners the work of transporting his body. Then the henchmen rushed upon him and began to stab him. With each stab he shouted again: “Long live Christ the King, long live the Virgin of Guadalupe! In the midst of the torment, the chief captain of the escort asked him, not out of compassion, but out of cruelty, what he ordered him to tell his parents, to which Joseph replied: “That we will see each other in heaven. Long live Christ the King! Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe!”. As these exclamations came out of his mouth, the captain shot him in the head, and the boy fell into the grave, bathed in blood, and his soul flew to heaven. It was February 10, 1928. Without a coffin and without a shroud, he received the shovelfuls of earth and his body was buried, until years later, his remains were buried in the catacombs of the expiatory temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At present they rest in the parish church of Santiago Apóstol, in Sahuayo, Michoacán. 

He was beatified on November 20, 2005.

Canonized by Pope Francis on October 16, 2016.