Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
San Salvador (Agenzia Fides) - Thousands of Salvadorans today commemorate 34 years since the murder of the Archbishop of San Salvador, Mgr. Oscar Arnulfo Romero, on 24 March 1980. The commemorative celebrations already started on Saturday 22 March, with a pilgrimage.
The note sent to Fides Agency by a local source reports the words of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, His Exc. Mgr. Gregorio Rosa Chavez, during the pilgrimage: "As Church, we are very close to his beatification, all the signs indicate that this date is approaching".
The pilgrimage, organized by the Romero Foundation to commemorate the assassination of the Archbishop, is known as the "Pilgrimage of lights", and has become a tradition: it walks through several streets of San Salvador: from Plaza Salvador del Mundo (where there is a statue of Mgr. Romero) to the Metropolitan Cathedral, in whose crypt he is buried. Also this year there were more than 3,000 people present, many young people, belonging to Catholic organizations, students and social groups, as well as many Christians who arrived from Central America, South America, United States, Canada, and even from European countries.
The process of beatification of Archbishop Romero was opened at the Vatican in 1994 and, was re-launched in 2013 by Pope Francis.
Mgr. Romero is remembered for having denounced the injustices committed by the armed conflict in El Salvador which lasted twelve years (1980-1992), causing 75,000 deaths, 8,000 people missing and 12,000 disabled. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 24/03/2014)
