Madam, - I was both interested and delighted to read Brendan Butler's tribute to the late Archbishop Oscar Romero (Rite and Reason, March 2lst).
In 2002 I had the privilege of visiting El Salvador to see some projects funded by the Church of Ireland through Christian Aid. On the final day of our trip we visited the Cathedral of San Salvador.
We went down into the crypt to see Archbishop Romero's tomb and were astonished to find a huge congregation of poor people, in stark contrast to the handful of people in the Cathedral nave.
When they heard we were Anglicans from Ireland I was literally pushed to the very front of the congregation and invited to address them at the end of the Mass. The reason for this warmth and enthusiasm was that they were fully aware that Archbishop Romero was honoured in Westminster Abbey as one of the significant martyrs of the 20th century, which was something not acknowledged by the Vatican.
Romero was an outstanding man. In his early episcopal ministry he was very conservative and enjoyed the company of the wealthy and powerful, until his eyes were opened to the dreadful plight of the poor in his own country. He acted with immense courage in facing the ruthless authorities.
Once he asked the US to stop sending arms to El Salvador he knew he had signed his own death warrant. He was assassinated while saying Mass on March 24th l980 and as far as I know his killers have never been brought to justice.
I cannot recall when I was so moved as on that day when I mingled with the poor who still spoke of him with tears in their eyes and yet with a certain pride that he was their saint.
As a former archbishop of another communion I wish to pay tribute to a fine and courageous martyr who followed so closely in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
To me and to countless others in El Salvador he is an icon for Christian leadership far beyond denominational boundaries. Today, when many Churches are caught up with so many issues which have little relation to the world for which Christ died, the memory of this man continues to challenge us.
May he rest in the peace he so richly deserved. - Yours, etc.,
WALTON EMPEY, Former Archbishop of Dublin, Rathmore, Tullow, Co Carlow.