The Romero Memory

On 24 March 1980, Salvadoran archbishop Óscar Romero was assassinated while celebrating mass in San Salvador. During the last years of his life, Romero had become an outspoken opponent of the oppression by El Salvador’s dictatorial regime and a beacon of peace and hope in a country torn by injustice, inequality and violence. His assassination sparked global outrage and converged with a growing international awareness of the plight of Latin America. To this day, Romero continues to inspire resistance and liberation movements in Latin America and beyond, both inside and outside the Church. Bringing together perspectives from the fields of history, theology, sociology, law, and cultural studies, The Romero Memory aims to accomplish a polyphonic understanding of the archbishop’s significance. His legacy transcends Western approaches to these disciplines and encompasses religious thought and practice, human rights activism, El Salvadoran mural iconography, Hollywood film, local social institutions and international aid, as well as transitional justice.