Thirtieth anniversary night

So, while many others went to a mass in the crypt in late afternoon, I did not get plugged back into the 30th-year anniversary events until night-time when we went to the ecumenical acto that took place at the Plaza Cívica, frente a la Catedral Metropolitana. I thought we were going to be way late since we left an hour after we should have and figured there would be lots of people, therefore, traffic, but to my surprise, we were dropped off right in front of the Plaza (a street separates it and the cathedral). This was an acto at which there would be read a proclamation. It was sponsored by the Concertación Monseñor Romero.


The Palacion Nacional lies on one side of the Plaza Cívica. It was hard to tell whether an opposing group or pro group was presenting a film projected on the wall of the Palacio Nacional but whatever, it was really annoying and at one point, the organisers of the acto asked that the volume be turned down and if it wasn't, they would get the police to help. The volume went down for a while but then it went back up again. Very aggravating.


Given that I was one of the participants, I tried to be discrete with my photography. This blurred shot shows the catedral in the background and gives you some sense of the crowd.


I cherish this photo of the bishop in the Vermont stole and the gringa in the Salvadoran stole which went home with me qua gift and recuerdo. This was taken before the acto got going.


The organisers held a contest for paintings and this was one of the entries. I took this as we stood to form a procession. I can't believe how honoured I was to be processing in with Bishop Medardo Gómez of the Iglesia Luterana de El Salvador – a Nobel Peace Prize candidate - Arzobispo Barahona and a whole cast of luminaries whose names I need to track down but who were well know to the crowd — Pablo Richard, I heard a speech by him back in 1993 in NYC, a priest who knew Romero from back when and so forth.


Holding my camera at my waist so as to be discrete, here is a photo of the crowd. In the foreground are some Finnish Lutheran pastors. One of them at least knew the words to some of the songs we sang. I admit to being far more reserved in comportment since I was up on the platform (only woman!!!!) with all these pastors. Otherwise, I also would have been yelling, ¡Qué viva! and such things.


Bishop Gómez read the first part of the proclamation (to come later).


And Bishop Barahona read the second part.

In addition to saying something in the prayers of the people (Bishop Barahona encouraged me to say where I was from), I was appointed to read the benediction which was a quotation from Romero: 'If they kill me, I will rise again in the Salvadoran people.' As I read it, I looked out at the crowd and saw people saying the words with me… si me matan, rescutiraré en el pueblo salvadoreño.'

This is once-in-a-lifetime stuff.