Óscar Romero’s continuing legacy in various societies worldwide.

On 24 March 1980, Salvadoran archbishop Óscar Romero was assassinated while celebrating mass in San Salvador. During the last years of his life, Romero had become an outspoken opponent of the oppression by El Salvador’s dictatorial regime and a beacon of peace and hope in a country torn by injustice, inequality and violence. His assassination sparked global outrage and converged with a growing international awareness of the plight of Latin America. To this day, Romero continues to inspire resistance and liberation movements in Latin America and beyond, both inside and outside the Church. Bringing together perspectives from the fields of history, theology, sociology, law, and cultural studies, The Romero Memory aims to accomplish a polyphonic understanding of the archbishop’s significance. His legacy transcends Western approaches to these disciplines and encompasses religious thought and practice, human rights activism, El Salvadoran mural iconography, Hollywood film, local social institutions and international aid, as well as transitional justice.

Judith Gruber is Research Professor in Theology at KU Leuven and a member of the Research Unit of Systematic Theology and the Study of Religions, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies.
Jonas Van Mulder is a research associate and curator at KADOC Documentation and Research Centre on Religion, Culture and Society of KU Leuven.
Kim Christiaens is Associate Professor in History at KU Leuven.
Veerle Draulans is Associate Professor in Social Sciences at KU Leuven and member of the Leuven Interdisciplinary Centre Lived Religion and Meaning.
Jacques Haers is Emeritus Professor in Theology at KU Leuven and a member of the Research Unit of Systematic Theology and the Study of Religions.
Joren Janssens is a research associate of the Faculty of Arts at KU Leuven and library coordinator of RoSa, the Flemish expertise center on gender and feminism.
Stephan Parmentier is Full Professor in Law and Criminology at KU Leuven and a member of the Research Unit of Criminal Law and Criminology.