Vatican City, May 23, 2015 / 07:48 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On the day of Oscar Romero’s beatification in San Salvador, Pope Francis sent a letter to the current archbishop, praising the martyr for his courageous service to the poor amid widespread national violence.

“On this day of celebration for the Salvadoran nation, and also for the beautiful Latin American countries, we give thanks to God because he granted a martyr bishop the ability to see and hear the suffering of his people,” the Pope said in his May 23 letter.