Monday 22 March, we attended a talk by the dean of UCA on Msr Romero in the crypt of the cathedral. The wheel-like ceiling dates post 2004. Behind the altar (barely visible) lies the new 2005 tomb of San Romero. Bishop Barahona was invited up to the head table where his colleagues of an interfaith group sat.
During an opening prayer by a rabbi, the dean and bishop stood side-by-side.
Like the tomb, this painting has moved hither and yon in the crypt. It now resides in the area where Romero's second tomb resided, the tomb that I knew best and prefer still because it was much more simple and del pueblo.
One unexpected treat, a God-incidence, was meeting the Rev'd Bill Wiffle, priest from Buffalo NY, who worked five years with Romero. He was the very last person to whom Romero gave communion ever. He was at the service at the cathedral, 23 March 1980, and had decided not to receive. He then heard Romero asking him, 'Don't you want communion?' So he partook and then Romero went to the altar to finish the service... his last mass since the one the next day was never completed.
The people were beginning to take over the tomb. By the end of the week, Thursday, the tomb was completely covered by flowers. The only part that remained visible was the bishop's face; otherwise, flowers real and paper covered the bronze. And the wax from melted candles at the head of the tomb, the photographs of Romero behind it, somewhat took away the sterile nature of the tomb (one of my beefs is that the only dates that appear are those of his time as arzobispo).
People had brought photographs, begun to appropriate the tomb to themselves and also prayed there, touching it. The tip of the mitre is burnished as well as the heads of the four women who form the posts of this statue.
As a point of comparison, here is a photo from Co-Latino on Thursday (taken Wednesday). By the time I got to the tomb Thursday afternoon, it was completely covered.
On to part 2.
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