We visited the National Cathedral where martyr and Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero was buried. During Romero’s funeral in 1980, there were too many people to hold it inside the church. It was held outside in the nearby park. During the funeral, in an attempt to terrorize people, men (the Salvadoran army) fired into the crowd from the National Palace nearby. At the same time cars on the 4 corners around the park exploded. Romero’s body in its casket was carried hand over hand into the basement of the National Cathedral. The priests were whisked away into the Cathedral as 7,000 other people crowded in. The Cathedral is only meant to hold 3,000. While only 60-70 people died that day the government had achieved its purpose of terrorizing the people. Many people call Romero’s death the beginning of the war.
Romero's tomb
Listening to the story
A shirt stained worn by Romero when he was murdered.
It has become an official relic.
Inside the cathedral
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