Saint Romero Day Recognition Resolution of 2025

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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION

26-70

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

July 14, 2025

To recognize, honor, and celebrate Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero for his lifelong spiritual
accompaniment of the Latino community in the District of Columbia.

WHEREAS, Saint Romero was born on August 15, 1917, in Ciudad Barrios in eastern El
Salvador, and;

WHEREAS, Saint Romero became a powerful moral voice during El Salvador’s civil
conflict, courageously denouncing violence perpetrated by government forces and paramilitary
groups, and;

WHEREAS, the Salvadoran population is the largest Latino community in Washington,
D.C., with many families tracing their roots to the same region as Saint Romero, and;

WHEREAS, thousands of Salvadorans fled violence in the late 1970s through early
1990s and found refuge in the District of Columbia, drawing strength and spiritual resilience
from Saint Romero’s example, and;

WHEREAS, through his sermons and public statements, he championed the rights of the
poor and oppressed, earning the reverent title “Voice of the Voiceless,” and;

WHEREAS, in his weekly radio homilies, he exposed grave human rights violations and
called on all people of conscience to defend the dignity of the marginalized, and;

WHEREAS, his steadfast advocacy for peace and justice led members of the U.S.
Congress and the British Parliament to nominate him for the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, and;

WHEREAS, on March 24, 1980, Saint Romero was assassinated while celebrating Mass
one day after urging soldiers to disobey unjust orders and cease the killing of civilians, and;

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WHEREAS, in 2010, the United Nations proclaimed March 24 as the “International Day
for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of
Victims,” in recognition of Saint Romero’s steadfast commitment to defending human rights and
human dignity; and;

WHEREAS, the Catholic Church beautified Saint Romero in 2015 and canonized him as
a saint in 2018, affirming his lasting legacy as a symbol of courage and compassion, and;

WHEREAS, Saint Romero remains an enduring icon of justice and hope, particularly for
those affected by the civil war in El Salvador, and;

WHEREAS, Saint Romero’s legacy continues to inspire the District of Columbia’s
Latino residents, alongside civic, faith-based, and youth organizations, who uphold his belief in
justice, solidarity, and transformative community action.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, T hat this
resolution may be cited as the “Saint Romero Day Recognition Resolution of 2025”.

Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia declares August 15, 2025, as Saint Romero
Day in the District of Columbia.

Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.