Salvadorans honoring Saint Óscar Romero: During these difficult times, he is like a ray of hope
Up to 3,000 Salvadoran Catholics will participate in Saint Óscar Romero's pilgrimage, an annual event that kicks off in El Salvador each Aug. 1 to honor San Salvador’s archbishop, who was appointed saint by pope Francis in 2018
By SALVADOR MELÉNDEZ and MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ
Published - Aug 01, 2024, 03:34 PM ET
Last Updated - Aug 01, 2024, 03:34 PM EDT
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — It’s as if Joyce Valencia could still hear Saint Oscar Romero’s voice.
“I met him when I was a little girl,” the 61-year-old Salvadoran said. “We used to gather around our radio with our grandma to listen to him. And, even now, listening to him encourages us to move forward.”
For a few years now, Valencia has joined the yearly pilgrimage that kicks off in El Salvador each Aug. 1 to honor Romero, who was named a saint by Pope Francis in 2018.
According to the committee that organizes the event, up to 3,000 pilgrims will cover 160 kilometers (100 miles) in three days, traveling from San Salvador, the capital, to Ciudad Barrios, where Romero was born in 1917.
