Romero, Oscar (Bishop)

Definition

Salvadorean Catholic Archbishop. Born 15 August 1917 in Ciudad Barrios, El Salvador. Assassinated in 1980 for his opposition to an oppressive military regime. His life and death became a source of inspiration for persecuted Christians around the world. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and beatified by the Catholic Church in 2015.

Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez was born 15 August 1917 into an impoverished Salvadorean family in Ciudad Barrios. Though he was a keen student, Romero planned to become a carpenter, as his father opposed his continued studies. In 1930, however, at the age of 13, Romero spoke to a visiting priest about his desire to attend seminary. Despite the initial skepticism of his father, the following year Romero enrolled at the minor seminary in San Miguel run by the Claretians (Brockman 1989, 32). In 1937, Romero was promoted to the national seminary in San Salvador, operated by the Jesuits. After 7 months, his bishop sent him to...