Wreath Laid for Oscar Romero

The Venerable Andrew Tremlett, Sub-Dean, Rector of St Margaret's, and Archdeacon of Westminster welcomed H.E. Ambassador Werner Matías Romero who laid the wreath on the steps of the West Door of the Abbey.

Oscar Romero (15th August 1917 – 24th March 1980) was a prelate of the Catholic Church in El Salvador, who served as the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador. Week by week from his pulpit during his three years as Archbishop, Romero confronted the military regime which governed El Salvador in Central America. He denounced the human rights violations, the political violence, the corrupt system of justice, the iniquitous land tenure system, and the suffering of El Salvador's poor.

On 24th March 1980 he was shot dead as he celebrated Mass in the chapel of the hospital where he lived. He is one of the 20th Century Martyrs whose statues were placed in 1998 above the Great West Door of the Abbey. He was beatified by Pope Francis on 23rd May 2015.