EL SALVADOR, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN

The territory of El Salvador is bounded on the north by Honduras, on the east by Honduras and the Gulf of Fonseca, on the south by a 160-mile stretch of North Pacific Ocean coastline, and on the west by Guatemala. The most densely populated republic in Central America, El Salvador is also the smallest, containing several volcanic mountain ranges in addition to a plateau region and the narrow coastal region. It is characterized by a tropical climate, frequent earthquakes, and regular volcanic activity. The nation still reflects its heritage as a Spanish colony through its inhabitants, most of whom are mestizo; only five percent have pure native blood.

About 63 percent of Salvadorans are engaged in agriculture, the major production of which includes coffee, sugar, corn, and cotton. Textiles and the production of electricity also figure prominently in El Salvador's economic base. Boasting the most developed highway system in all Central America in the early 20th century, El Salvador continued to be easily navigable despite its mountainous terrain.

Originally inhabited by Maya and Pipil tribes, El Salvador's Custatlán region was discovered and subsequently conquered by Pedro de Alvarado, a lieutenant under Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortéz, in 1523. In April 1525 Alvarado founded the city of San Salvador in the Valle de la Bermuda, naming Diego de Holguín the first governor. De Holguín gradually expanded his domain, and the area now know as El Salvador became a province of the Captaincy General of Guatemala in 1542. Religious sent from Spain to administer to the region's Spanish populations also instituted missionary activities, although many of the natives in the region ultimately died as a result of European-introduced diseases.

The movement for political independence from Spain first took shape in Custatlán in November of 1811; it failed, as would a second rebellion in 1814. Ultimately, however, the Captaincy General of Guatemala declared its own independence from Spain on Sept. 15, 1821, releasing as it did so each of its provinces. The civilian government of El Salvador opposed the immediate annexation of the newly emancipated Central American states to the Mexican empire of Augustín de Iturbide, and when forced to join, threatened to instead seek incorporation in the United States. The formation of the United Provinces of Central America via a constitution approved on Nov. 22, 1824, resolved the situation, as El Salvador and the other four Central American republics formed a federation of their own. That constitution, on the motion of Salvadorean priest Simeón Canãs, also abolished slavery. Due to internal conflicts, the United Provinces dissolved, leaving El Salvador an independent republic in 1839. Battles between liberal and conservative factions within its civilian government stagnated economic development for the next 70 years.

By the early 20th century El Salvador had developed an elite ruling class, the majority of its citizens exploited and forced to work the coffee plantations. In 1932 peasant unrest resulted in an outbreak of violence, called the Matanza, during which 10,000 lost their lives at the hands of the military. Although a series of military coups wrestled political power and attempted to institute social reforms in the country, their efforts were checked by the financial strength of the nation's landowning families.

In the early 1960s the Church supported efforts by the newly formed Christian Democratic party and the United States to encourage economic development in El Salvador by an infusion of aid to encourage business growth. However, by the early 1970s it became clear to Church leadership that such aid did little to help the poor, but instead contributed to the tradition of exploitation. Rising threats from communist sympathizers spurred on by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, as well as outbreaks of guerilla-type violence from the Marxist militant group Frente Faravundo Marti de Liberación (FMLN) prompted the United States to back a restrictive, authoritarian regime during the 1980s. During over a decade of civil war 75,000 Salvadorans lost their lives, their tragic deaths documented by the San Salvador Archdiocese human rights office, Tutela Legal, despite government opposition.

As the people of El Salvador struggled against poverty and oppression, they found a leader in Oscar romero, installed as archbishop of San Salvador on Feb.

23, 1977. Like many Catholic leaders, Romero turned to unionization and education of the peasantry as a way out of El Salvador's economic difficulties, believing it would be by such means that the Church would be a force for liberation. He attempted to end the violence of desperate leftist guerillas as well as powerful right-wing military extremist factions, calling on soldiers to lay down their arms. Unfortunately, such tactics threatened the ruling class, and Church organizations were vilified by the media as reforming priests were expelled from the country or assassinated by paramilitary groups bearing such names as the Wind Warriors Union. Handbills appeared proclaiming "Be a Patriot. Kill a Priest!" The violence increased following a bloodless coup by members of the military ostensibly representing Christian Democrat interests on Oct. 15, 1979. During a radio sermon on March 23, 1980 Romero reminded soldiers that they were not obligated to obey a law contrary to God's law: "In the Name of God," Romero exhorted, "stop the repression." He was assassinated by a right-wing death squad the next day, as he was offering the sacrifice of the Mass. His funeral procession was met by further violence, as 26 people were killed in gunfire and explosions. On a visit to San Salvador in February 1996, Pope John Paul II would pay homage to the legendary priest and would be presented with a petition requesting Romero's beatification.

Violence against the Church continued into the late 1980s, as priests, nuns, and other religious were systematically killed by right-wing death squads. Fortunately, in 1992 the political situation in El Salvador was defused when guerillas signed a treaty with the pacifist government of President Felix Alfredo Cristiani, ending the era of violence. Aided by such Church leaders as San Salvadoran Archbishop Arturo Rivera Damas, the peace process proved successful, although inclusion of the leftist FMLN resulted in the 1998 introduction of legislation to legalize abortion in the predominately Catholic country. El Salvador continued to operate as a democratic republic under the constitution of Dec. 23, 1983; due to an increase in exports and international financial aid, its economy was in an upturn in 2000.

As El Salvador's government worked to improve the lives of its citizens, it was struck by a series of natural disasters as 1999's Hurricane Mitch was followed two years later by a massive earthquake that left 50,000 families homeless. Church leaders responded in all cases with massive humanitarian aid, and Pope John Paul directed his personal charity, Cor Unum, to send financial aid to the region. During the late 1990s Protestantism began making inroads into this predominately Catholic country. After peace was restored to the region, El Salvador witnessed an increase in missionary activity by the estimated one million Protestant evangelicals entering the country.

Bibliography: f. d. parker, The Central American Republics (New York 1964).

[l. lamadrid/eds.]