Decades after the death of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, Pope Francis has approved his canonization. Romero was declared a martyr three years ago, in 2015.
Romero has been the subject of international study since his assassination in March of 1980, when he was shot while conducting mass in a hospital chapel. The murder came a day after Romero delivered a sermon condemning the brutal execution of citizens by the Salvadoran military. The referenced attacks occurred in the context of the country’s “dirty war,” which had just begun.
The content of Romero’s last sermon was no departure from his usual stance. As Archbishop, he embraced the concept of liberation theology; according to his younger brother, he wanted the world “to unite in love for the poor, the marginalized and the forgotten” (Sherwood, the Guardian).
The road to Romero’s canonization was not a simple one, impeded in part by his political views. At the time of Romero’s death, the Roman Catholic world was led by Pope John Paul II, who staunchly opposed the liberation theology movement.
Since Pope Francis was elected in March 2013, Romero has grown more popular with the Vatican. The similarities between the two men are striking; born in Argentina in 1936, Pope Francis is familiar with the events of El Salvador’s dirty war. Although he criticized the movement of liberation theology itself while serving in Argentina, he identifies with its core message of support for the oppressed.
In order to be canonized, the Roman Catholic Church holds that two miracles be attributed to the subject in question— since Romero has already been declared a martyr, he only requires one.
According to Vatican officials, Romero is credited with healing a terminally ill Salvadoran woman during her pregnancy after being prayed to by her husband.
Though neither the date nor location of Romero’s canonization has been set, followers speculate that it will take place in October. In that case, the ceremony would be held at the Synod of Bishops, coinciding with the canonization of Pope Paul VI.
