Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala


Cristobal, Antonio and Juan

Martyrs of Tlaxcala
Statue of the three children.
Martyrs
BornCristobal:
c. 1514–15
Atlihuetzía, Mexico
Antonio:
c. 1516–17
Tizatlán, Mexico
Juan:
Tizatlán, Mexico
DiedCristobal:
1527
Atlihuetzía, Mexico
Antonio and Juan:
1529
Cuauhtinchán, Mexico
Venerated inCatholic Church
Beatified6 May 1990, Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico by Pope John Paul II
Canonized15 October 2017, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Francis
Feast23 September
AttributesMartyr's palm
Crucifix
Rosary
Patronage
  • Tlaxcala
  • Mexican children[1]
  • People ridiculed for their piety

The Martyrs of Tlaxcala were three Mexican Roman Catholic teenagers from the Tlaxcaltec people of the modern state of Tlaxcala: Cristobal (1514/15–1527) and the two companions Antonio (1516/17–1529) and Juan (1516/17–1529).[2][3] The three teenagers were converts from the Nahua religion of their families to the Catholic Church in Mexico and received their educations from missionaries of the Order of Friars Minor who baptized them while evangelizing in the area. Their activism and evangelical zeal led to their honour killings by fellow Tlaxcaltec people, including their close relatives, who detested their newfound faith and recognized them as dangers to their values and rituals.[4][5]

The teenagers were beatified in Mexico in mid-1990 by Pope John Paul II.[6] Pope Francis – on 23 March 2017 – issued a decree that the three teenagers would be canonized without having a miracle attributed to their intercession as is the norm.[7] The teenagers were canonized as saints on 15 October 2017.[8]

  1. ^ "AMERICA/MEXICO – The child martyrs of Tlaxcala declared Patrons of Mexican childhood". Agenzia Fides. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Three Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala". Saints SQPN. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  3. ^ "Blessed Juan of Tlaxcala". Saints SQPN. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Tlaxcala, Martyrs of, Bb". Encyclopedia.com. 2003. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  5. ^ "The Martyrs of Tlaxcala". Tripod. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Blessed Cristobal, Antonio and Juan". Santi e Beati. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Pope OKs sainthood for Fatima siblings, Mexico child martyrs". ABC News. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  8. ^ Pope Francis canonizes the martyred children of Tlaxcala