During a joint visit by the bishops of El Salvador to Pope
Leo XIV on September 11, 2026—known as an “ad limina apostolorum” visit
(because the clerics visit the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul)—the twelve
Salvadoran prelates asked the Pontiff to recognize Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero,
the renowned Central American martyr, as a "Doctor of the Church."
This title would elevate him to the most exclusive ranks of saints, given that
only 38 of the estimated 10,000-plus saints currently hold that honor.
The Salvadoran bishops' request follows an earlier one made
to Pope Francis in 2018 by the Archbishop of San Salvador, Msgr. José Luis
Escobar Alas; however, a petition from the entire episcopal conference carries
greater weight in canonical terms.
Three of the prelates reported this in statements following
the meeting. Msgr. Escobar Alas said in a homily published by the San Salvador
Archdiocesan TV station, "We took the opportunity to ask him to declare
Saint Óscar Romero a Doctor of the Church—to make that proclamation regarding
Saint Óscar Romero." Before departing for Rome, Msgr. Escobar had
circulated a request to the parish priests of his archdiocese, asking them to
pray that Romero might attain this distinction.
They also invited the Pope to visit El Salvador and the
saint's tomb, said the archbishop.
The Bishop of San Miguel, Msgr. Fabio Reynaldo Colindres
Abarca, revealed that Leo XIV is already familiar with El Salvador and has
visited sites associated with Romero and his martyrdom. According to Msgr.
Colindres, the Pontiff shared that "as a missionary," he had already
visited the tomb of Saint Óscar Romero and the Hospitalito de la Divina
Providencia—the Salvadoran saint's place of residence and martyrdom, and the
site of the chapel where he shed his blood on March 24, 1980. Msgr. Escobar
added that the Pope "expressed to us his deep devotion to Msgr. Óscar
Romero, noting that he always carried a prayer card of Msgr. Romero—containing
a third-class relic—and entrusted himself to him daily." The Salvadoran
bishops presented him with a first-class relic in a reliquary.
The episcopal conference's request is necessary but not
sufficient to initiate the process: the Pontiff must evaluate the application
and forward the dossier to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, which
conducts a preliminary study. Once that study is completed, the cause would be
officially opened. There is a defined path to follow from the start of the
cause to the eventual proclamation. Three conditions must be met: (1) the
candidate has made a significant contribution to Church doctrine; (2) the
candidate demonstrated truly exemplary holiness, even among other saints; and
(3) finally, the Church's proclamation takes place.
Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chávez, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of
San Salvador, added that devotion to Romero was widespread within the Vatican.
"He is certainly a saint for the whole Church; he is deeply loved here in
Rome," the cardinal said, explaining that he had witnessed the affection
for the martyred archbishop across the various dicasteries of the Curia. The
Salvadoran bishops met with officials from the Dicastery for the Causes of
Saints, which would be handling the cause for declaring Romero a Doctor of the
Church.
Both Rosa Chávez and Colindres noted that the Pope urged the
Salvadorans to remain close to the poor. The Holy Father encouraged them to “go
out to the people” and to feel “excited about the mission placed in our hands,
never doubting that the Lord is with us and that the Holy Spirit illuminates
and guides this wonderful task,” said Colindres.
The Pope did the same in a letter addressed to bishops
across the continent, which also cited Romero, among other illustrious bishops
of the region.
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