Óscar Romero
Who was Óscar Romero?
Archbishop of San Salvador from 1977 until his assassination in 1980, canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 2018 for his advocacy for human rights and the poor.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Óscar Romero (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (15 August 1917 – 24 March 1980) was a leader in the Catholic Church in El Salvador and became a major voice in Latin America for human rights and social justice. Born in the small town of Ciudad Barrios in eastern El Salvador, Romero climbed the ranks to become the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977, a role he held until his assassination in 1980.
Romero studied theology at the well-known Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, which prepared him for a priestly path that initially leaned towards traditional conservative practices. He served in various roles within the Salvadoran church, such as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, Titular Bishop of Tambeae, and Bishop of Santiago de María before being named archbishop. His early work was marked by standard Catholic teachings and social conservatism, making his later change of direction notable.
The murder of his close friend and fellow priest Rutilio Grande in March 1977 caused a major shift in Romero's ministry. This event, soon after he became archbishop, deeply affected his view on the church's involvement in tackling social inequality and political oppression. Romero began to use his role to speak out against the military government's human rights abuses and to support El Salvador's poor and marginalized people. His weekly sermons became strong platforms for condemning violence and calling for social change.
Romero's bold criticism of the Salvadoran government and military as the Salvadoran Civil War was beginning made him a target for right-wing death squads. On 24 March 1980, as he was celebrating Mass at a hospital chapel in San Salvador, Romero was assassinated. Investigations by the UN Truth Commission later found that Major Roberto D'Aubuisson, a death squad leader who went on to found the right-wing ARENA political party, had ordered the assassination, though no one was ever held accountable for the crime.
The Catholic Church officially recognized Romero's martyrdom well after his death. Pope John Paul II named him a Servant of God in 1997, starting the beatification process. After being delayed for years, Pope Benedict XVI reopened the cause in 2012. Pope Francis declared Romero a martyr in 2015, leading to his beatification on 23 May 2015, and later canonization as a saint on 14 October 2018, making him an official saint of the Catholic Church.
Before Fame
Growing up in Ciudad Barrios in the early 20th century, Romero saw the social and economic inequalities of rural El Salvador. His family didn't have much, and he saw the struggles of the poor in a country run by wealthy landowners and an oppressive political system. This early exposure to poverty and social injustice influenced his ministry, though at first, he approached these issues in a more traditional way.
Romero's rise began with his theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he received thorough training in Catholic doctrine and church law. After returning to El Salvador, he gained a reputation as a scholarly and conservative priest, moving up through various church positions. His appointment as Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977 came in part because of his expected adherence to traditional views, with church officials anticipating he would keep a moderate stance during El Salvador's increasing political unrest.
Key Achievements
- Served as Archbishop of San Salvador from 1977 to 1980, transforming the archdiocese's social mission
- Became a leading voice against human rights violations during El Salvador's civil conflict
- Delivered influential weekly homilies that reached hundreds of thousands across Central America
- Canonized as a saint by Pope Francis in 2018 for his martyrdom and service to the poor
- Posthumously became a symbol of liberation theology and social justice in Latin America
Did You Know?
- 01.Romero was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium in recognition of his human rights advocacy
- 02.His weekly radio homilies were broadcast throughout El Salvador and neighboring countries, reaching an estimated 73% of the rural population
- 03.The day before his assassination, Romero had written a letter to U.S. President Jimmy Carter asking him to stop military aid to El Salvador
- 04.His final words before being shot were part of his homily about resurrection and eternal life
- 05.More than 250,000 people attended his funeral, making it one of the largest gatherings in Salvadoran history
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Honorary doctor of the Catholic University of Louvain | — | — |