On this day, Monsignor Rafael Urrutia, parish priest of the church of Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero of San Salvador, wrote a letter to Fides news agency to commemorate the martyr saint.

In his letter he writes:

“Dear Monsignor: It was Monday, March 24, 1980, and the clock indicated 6:20 p.m. You celebrated Holy Mass with your usual devotion and tenderness, saying these words: “May this immolated body and this blood sacrificed by men also nourish us to give our body and our blood to suffering and pain, like Christ, not for him, but to give principles of justice and peace to our people …”. God, in His infinite love called him to martyrdom and his blood was united, at the moment of the offertory, with the blood of Christ shed for the salvation of men”.

He continues: “There was no human being who did not understand at that moment what had happened to him: Mgr Romero, assassinated at the foot of the altar, as was announced by the radio news. You were the only one who, in your heart, knew what was happening in His life, he knew that God was breaking into His history with a vocation to which he calls very few of his children: martyrdom”.

Bishop Urrutis then adds: “Today the Church wanted to honour the hospital chapel, the place of his martyrdom, with a new name. It will no longer be called the chapel of the Hospital of Divine Providence but “Chapel of the Martyrdom of Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero, Bishop and Martyr” although it is still in the heart of the Hospital of Divine Providence, a place where you decided to go and live with the sick, who, through their bodily sufferings, made Jesus Christ crucified present to you on whom you lean through your prayers and your sacrifices”. “Thank you, Monsignor, for being Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero, a light that always makes the light of Christ shine”, concludes Monsignor Urrutia.

Source: Fides.org