# Assassination of Óscar Romero (1980)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1980-assassination-of-oscar-romero
Location: San Salvador, El Salvador
Themes: Persecution

Archbishop Romero is shot while celebrating Mass in San Salvador. At this point in the timeline (24 March 1980), the Bishop of Rome was Pope John Paul II (16 October 1978 – 2 April 2005).

## Why it matters
Assassination of Óscar Romero mattered because it shows how Christians and others suffered for faith and how violence shaped the church's memory and identity.

Pope at the time: [Pope John Paul II](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-john-paul-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Óscar Romero](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93scar_Romero)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Assassination of Óscar Romero](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Assassination+of+%C3%93scar+Romero)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Era (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_20th_century)