New song celebrates Father Oscar Romero, marking 34 anniversary of his murder




34 years ago Msgr. Óscar Arnulfo Romero, then archbishop of San Salvador, was shot to death while celebrating Mass in a hospital. His only "crimes” were to denounce the violence in El Salvador and to share the suffering of the needy.

An initiative called 'The Project' celebrates the life and work of this priest who always stayed close to his people. Among other things, with music: it released a song called "Romero” as part of the album "Martyrs Prayers.” Images of the Salvadorian priest can be seen in the video.

The composers used texts and reflections from Fr. Romero to write the lyrics of the song, and the chorus repeats one of his most famous statements: "Let my blood be a seed of freedom.”

Fr. Romero knew that they were after him long before being murdered. He was a "persona non grata” because he stood for the rights Salvadorian workers and farmers in his homilies, rights that were often attacked by the repressive military and the opposition.

Some days before his killing, he told a journalist that he forgave and blessed his murderers, and then added: "Hopefully, they will realize they're wasting time. A bishop will die, yes, but the Church of God, the people, will never perish.”

Fr. Romero is widely known in Latin America as "the voice of the voiceless.” A voice already heard at the Vatican: his process for canonization started in 1994.


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