In early modern Catholic missions, children were considered more receptive and enthusiastic about the Christian message, as they had been less influenced by pagan culture compared to their parents and adults in general. Consequently, European missionaries often relied on children and young indigenous converts to spread the Catholic faith and physically eradicate pre-Christian cults.  

The Franciscan Geronimo de Mendieta recounts that in Mexico, even years after the Spanish conquest, pagan temples remained open to the public, where religious ceremonies and human sacrifices took place despite prohibitions from the authorities. In 1525, in several cities, including Mexico City, Texcoco, Tlaxcala, and Guexozingo, Franciscan friars decided to destroy these places of worship. In this endeavor, they were assisted by numerous children and young people, many of whom were the sons of indigenous chieftains and had been raised in the Christian faith by the friars from an early age. Mendieta describes how these young indigenous converts set fire to the pagan temples, likening the event to the biblical story of the fall of Jericho’s walls, all accompanied by the laughter and joy of Christian children.  

Similarly, the Jesuit Francis Xavier, in the context of Catholic missions along the Malabar Coast in the 1530s, describes the zeal with which Christian children committed themselves to eradicating idolatry. When they discovered the celebration of pagan ceremonies or the construction of religious idols, they would inform the Jesuit, who then went to the reported location. There, the children proceeded to destroy the pagan religious symbols, attacking them with spitting and insults directed at the devil.  

These dynamics can be interpreted not only as an expression of religious fanaticism fueled by the fervor and enthusiasm typical of youth but also as a form of youthful rebellion against their families and elders. The young converts, having embraced the new faith, saw their families and elders—who remained attached to traditional religious practices—as adversaries to their beliefs.