Since the people of the Republic of Tlaxcala had assisted the Spanish in the conquest of Mexico, as the city and valley of the Aztecs is still known, they were the first to be evangelized by the Church. The first converts were four senators of the Republic, aristocracy from among the ruling families. In 1520 they were baptized, with Cortes acting as godfather. However, many of the aristocracy and people resisted the new way. Among these were the families of two boys, Cristobalito and Antonio (identified here by their Christian names). Catechized by the Franciscans, they acted as interpreters in helping teach the faith to others. Returning home one day in 1527, Cristobalito was attacked by his own father and killed "in odium fidei" (in hatred of the faith). In 1529 the father of Antonio visited the same punishment upon his thirteen year old son, and upon Juan, his servant and brother in the faith. Pope John Paul II beatified all three at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe on his last trip to Mexico in May of 1990, calling them the "First Martyrs (Proto-martyrs) of the Americas."