St. Oscar Romero
Patron Saint of Persecuted Christians
St. Oscar Romero was appointed archbishop of San Salvador in 1977. Romero had a bookish reputation, but this was a time of great political discontent and economic strife in El Salvador. Throughout his time as archbishop, he became known for advocating for the poor and oppressed. Romero used his radio sermons to speak out against the widespread violence and social injustices by both the Salvadoran government and rebels. Even though he knew speaking out against the violence was dangerous, he knew it was necessary to help the Salvadoran people; today he is remembered as a “voice for the voiceless”. On March 24, 1980, Romero was assassinated while saying Mass. He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2018. His feast day is recognized by the United Nations as a day to remember those who work for human rights.