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| Salvadorans Flock to Honor Beloved Archbishop on Path to Sainthood | Salvadorans Flock to Honor Beloved Archbishop on Path to Sainthood |
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| SAN SALVADOR — Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of El Salvador’s capital on Saturday to celebrate the beatification of Óscar Romero, a Roman Catholic archbishop who walked with his people in their poverty. | SAN SALVADOR — Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of El Salvador’s capital on Saturday to celebrate the beatification of Óscar Romero, a Roman Catholic archbishop who walked with his people in their poverty. |
| Under a bright sun, people joined in the songs and prayers of the ritual that blessed Archbishop Romero, who was assassinated here as he celebrated evening Mass on March 24, 1980. | Under a bright sun, people joined in the songs and prayers of the ritual that blessed Archbishop Romero, who was assassinated here as he celebrated evening Mass on March 24, 1980. |
| As symbols were carried to the stage to commemorate his final step toward sainthood, one stood out: the eucharist that Archbishop Romero was unable to complete. | As symbols were carried to the stage to commemorate his final step toward sainthood, one stood out: the eucharist that Archbishop Romero was unable to complete. |
| “Romero was a good priest, a wise bishop, but above all he was a virtuous man,” said Cardinal Angelo Amato, an emissary from Pope Francis who presided over the ceremony. | “Romero was a good priest, a wise bishop, but above all he was a virtuous man,” said Cardinal Angelo Amato, an emissary from Pope Francis who presided over the ceremony. |
| “He saw his tormented homeland with hope in his heart,” Cardinal Amato continued. “His words were not a provocation to hatred and revenge, but the brave exhortation of a father to his divided children.” | |
| Archbishop Romero’s paternal face was everywhere, on the solemn altar and on the T-shirts of the faithful. He belonged to everyone. | Archbishop Romero’s paternal face was everywhere, on the solemn altar and on the T-shirts of the faithful. He belonged to everyone. |
| “In his embrace, you could feel his great love for us, the poor, because we are poor,” said Victoria Ramírez, 51, an office cleaner. “We felt protected by him — but who protected him?” | “In his embrace, you could feel his great love for us, the poor, because we are poor,” said Victoria Ramírez, 51, an office cleaner. “We felt protected by him — but who protected him?” |
| “He was our savior,” Ms. Ramírez continued. “Even though the church says he’s theirs, he is ours. He always will be. The church always represents the rich. They want to take power over him — but he is ours.” | “He was our savior,” Ms. Ramírez continued. “Even though the church says he’s theirs, he is ours. He always will be. The church always represents the rich. They want to take power over him — but he is ours.” |
| In a statement on Saturday, President Obama said, “Archbishop Romero was an inspiration for people in El Salvador and across the Americas.” | In a statement on Saturday, President Obama said, “Archbishop Romero was an inspiration for people in El Salvador and across the Americas.” |
| In the years before he was killed, Archbishop Romero had become the defender of El Salvador’s poor, condemning social injustice and speaking out against the political repression that had unleashed a wave of killings. | In the years before he was killed, Archbishop Romero had become the defender of El Salvador’s poor, condemning social injustice and speaking out against the political repression that had unleashed a wave of killings. |
| Many here saw a political edge to the event. “He spoke the truth about the situation of the country in those days,” said Osmin Monterrosa Paz, 40. “The situation is the same or worse now.” | Many here saw a political edge to the event. “He spoke the truth about the situation of the country in those days,” said Osmin Monterrosa Paz, 40. “The situation is the same or worse now.” |
| “They always told us that the rich were born that way, that God let it be like that,” said Mr. Monterrosa, a parking lot attendant. “But the majority of the rich have taken what they have by force. And in the end, they are richer and there are more poor people.” | “They always told us that the rich were born that way, that God let it be like that,” said Mr. Monterrosa, a parking lot attendant. “But the majority of the rich have taken what they have by force. And in the end, they are richer and there are more poor people.” |
| Mr. Monterrosa said he saw an answer in Archbishop Romero’s example. “He believed in equality but through the force of love, not violence.” | Mr. Monterrosa said he saw an answer in Archbishop Romero’s example. “He believed in equality but through the force of love, not violence.” |
| For years, the archbishop’s beatification was delayed, his advocacy of social justice a source of discomfort in the conservative Vatican hierarchy and among many Latin American bishops. | For years, the archbishop’s beatification was delayed, his advocacy of social justice a source of discomfort in the conservative Vatican hierarchy and among many Latin American bishops. |
| But Pope Francis, attuned to the region’s painful economic divisions, sped up the procedure this year. | But Pope Francis, attuned to the region’s painful economic divisions, sped up the procedure this year. |
| To reach the site of the beatification, people walked in the rain on Friday afternoon from the city’s central cathedral to the small park in a commercial area where rows of white plastic chairs were set up for the guests. | To reach the site of the beatification, people walked in the rain on Friday afternoon from the city’s central cathedral to the small park in a commercial area where rows of white plastic chairs were set up for the guests. |
| There was music, there was singing and there was joy. A loudspeaker on a pickup truck replayed Archbishop Romero’s speeches, his voice ringing with denunciation of violence and poverty. | There was music, there was singing and there was joy. A loudspeaker on a pickup truck replayed Archbishop Romero’s speeches, his voice ringing with denunciation of violence and poverty. |
| People shared memories. Roberto Caledonio, a tour guide, was 6 when Archbishop Romero was killed. His parents took him to the funeral in San Salvador’s central square, where snipers began firing on the crowd. | People shared memories. Roberto Caledonio, a tour guide, was 6 when Archbishop Romero was killed. His parents took him to the funeral in San Salvador’s central square, where snipers began firing on the crowd. |
| “How hard it was to shut down his voice,” Mr. Caledonio said. “Now he’s stronger than ever.” | “How hard it was to shut down his voice,” Mr. Caledonio said. “Now he’s stronger than ever.” |
| But younger people did not need direct memories of Archbishop Romero. Natalia Vanegas, 17, from the provincial city of Santa Ana, said she grew up hearing his homilies. | But younger people did not need direct memories of Archbishop Romero. Natalia Vanegas, 17, from the provincial city of Santa Ana, said she grew up hearing his homilies. |
| “He is a person that I can say I love,” said Ms. Vanegas, seeming to radiate joy. “I want to imitate his goodness and not distinguish among people for their social class.” | “He is a person that I can say I love,” said Ms. Vanegas, seeming to radiate joy. “I want to imitate his goodness and not distinguish among people for their social class.” |
| And she has decided on her future: She wants to be a doctor, working for the poor. | And she has decided on her future: She wants to be a doctor, working for the poor. |