Visit to the Cathedral of San Salvador (6 March 1983)

On Sunday, 6 March 1983, the Holy Father visited the Cathedral of San Salvador, where he paid homage to Óscar Arnulfo Romero, ”a zealous Pastor whose love of God and service to his brothers led him to give up his own life in a violent manner."

The Cathedral is the seat of the Pastor of each particular Church, the place where he who, like all Bishops, was placed by the Holy Spirit to shepherd the flock of Christ announces the Gospel.

My visit to this venerable temple is, therefore, an invitation to all of you to always let yourselves be guided by your Pastors, yesterday by those who preceded you and today by your new Archbishop. D. Artur Rivera Damas.

Rest within these walls the remains of D. Óscar Arnulfo Romero, a zealous Pastor whose love of God and service to his brothers led him to give up his own life in a violent manner, while celebrating the Sacrifice of forgiveness and reconciliation.

For him and also venerable Pastors who in their time shepherded the Salvadoran flock, we address our prayer to the just and merciful God so that His light shines perpetually upon them, who sacrificed themselves for everyone and called everyone to be inspired by Jesus, who he had compassion for the crowds at a time when he was committed to forging a more just, humane and fraternal world, in which we all want to live.

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