Prayer to Saint Óscar Romero — Archbishop martyred at the altar

Archbishop of San Salvador, born in Ciudad Barrios on 15 August 1917 and ordained priest in Rome in 1942. As bishop, he publicly denounced injustice and violence against the poor in the context of the Salvadoran civil war. On 23 March 1980, in a homily broadcast by radio, he appealed to soldiers in the name of God to cease the repression. On the following day, 24 March 1980, he was shot dead by a death squad at the very moment when he was raising the chalice at the Eucharistic consecration, during the Mass celebrated in the chapel of the Hospital of Divine Providence. Beatified by Pope Francis on 23 May 2015 (through Card. Amato in San Salvador), and canonised by the same Pontiff on 14 October 2018. Feast: 24 March.

O God, our Merciful Father, who through the mediation of Jesus Christ and the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, and the action of the Holy Spirit, granted to Saint Óscar Romero the grace to be an exemplary Pastor at the service of the Church, and in her preferentially of the poor and the needy, even to giving his life on the altar of the Eucharist: grant, Lord, that we too may know how to live according to the Gospel of your Son, and grant us, through his intercession, the favour I humbly ask of you (make the petition).

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.