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Dorelia Hankins
Professor Leap
Images of Jesus in Film
4/20/22

Romero and Jesus Christ: The Great Parallels

The film titled, Romero, directed by John Duigan follows the Archbishop of El Salvador,
Oscar Romero. This awe-inspiring film takes place in the politically charged country of El
Salvador in 1977. Within this Christ-figure film, one witnesses the peaceful, yet radical Oscar
Romero advocate for justice among the discriminated El Salvadoran population. Romero is faced
with adversity from the rich while he stands as a strong advocate for the impoverished.
Alongside his many believers, Oscar Romero is still a revolutionary figure to this day. In this
Christ-figure film, Duigan parallels Romero’s actions and beliefs to those of Jesus Christ.
Oscar Romero was born on August 15, 1917, in Ciudad Barrios, El Salvador (“Oscar
Romero: A Voice”). Romero was born into a large family of ten but always proved to be a
standout among his siblings. As a child, he stayed busy by helping his father deliver telegrams
and began to dabble in carpentry (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). At the age of 14, Romero desired
to become a priest. He began to study at the junior seminary until his mother became ill (“Oscar
Romero: A Voice”). To compensate for his mother’s medical needs, he worked in a gold mine in
Potosi (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). After aiding his family financially, Romero went to Rome
during WWII to study (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). While Romero was studying abroad, his
“father and brother died” (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). Romero was officially ordained as a priest
in 1942 and returned to El Salvador to begin his ministry (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). He was
adored for his sermons and teachings and also was involved in community outreach. He
organized catechism classes and worked with members of his parish to provide food for the poor
(“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). In 1970, Romero was appointed as “bishop on June 21, 1970”
(“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). Violence erupted in El Salvador during the ‘70s. The El Salvadoran
government began its unlawful massacre of innocent civilians who advocated their rights. The
killing of three people in the village of Tres Calles triggered Romero’s efforts in protecting his
people (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). He comforted the families of lost ones and wrote to the
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president of El Salvador in protest of the murders (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). Romero was then
made “Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977”. (“Oscar Romero: A Voice”). Little did he know the
impact he would make upon the El Salvadoran people.
Here, the film begins–El Salvador, 1977. Many dissatisfied civilians gathered in protest
on the streets of El Salvador. The El Salvadoran people are tired after years of oppression and
rigged political elections. Archbishop, Oscar Romero, arrives on the scene of the voting area and
overhears the complaints of his people. He witnesses a group of El Salvadoran villagers converse
about their dismantled rights. A woman in the group says, “I think God looks at these things and
vomits” (Romero, 00:03:46-00:03:49). When Romero hears this statement, his body language is
a bit off-standish at first. However, as the film goes on, Romero starts to develop his true colors.
He begins to show empathy for his people. Throughout the film, the viewer witnesses violence
infecting the country of El Salvador. The battle between the wealthy aristocrats and poor
civilians is prominent, and Oscar Romero is wedged in between. After continuous harassment
toward the impoverished, Romero emerges as a true leader among the people. He emerges as a
true parallel of Christ.
Descending Christology or “Christology from above” begins with the “divinity of Jesus
Christ,” and how he descends to understand humanity (Martin, 7). In this Christology, the masses
are aware of Jesus' divinity and holiness–how he, Jesus, is “the Son of God” (Martin, 7).
Romero’s first sense of descending Christology appears after the massacre of innocent El
Salvadoran civilians. While Fr. Rutilio Grande was giving communion with the other fathers, the
National Guard shot at the crowd–and killed nearly 70 innocent civilians. Appalled, Grande runs
to Romero–who was off partying with the rich. Grande frantically breaks the news to Romero.
He says to Romero, “Don’t you see what’s going on around here? Anyone who says what he
thinks about land, reform, or wages, or God, or human rights automatically he’s labeled a
Communist. He lives in fear they take him away, they torture him, they kill him” (Romero,
00:22:13-00:22:37). As Fr. Grande cries out, the rich give him a look of disapproval and Romero
is at a loss for words. The viewer witnesses how oblivious Romero is to the world around him.
Yet, this is Romero’s first wake-up call. After his conversation with Fr. Grande, Romero goes to
the site of the massacre. He sees a woman sobbing over a dead body. He goes to the woman and
blesses the body. He states, “This is not the way God wants his children to live” (Romero,
00:23:42-00:23:46) After this, the viewer watches the switch flip in Romero. He begins his
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descent from divine, all-powerful archbishop to human advocate. Romero slowly makes his
descent as a leader among his people–similar to Jesus Christ.
As a leader, Romero has to face harsh realities and difficult news. The phone call he
received regarding the death of Fr. Grande was an eye-opener. Romero learns that Fr. Grande
was murdered in his vehicle. Yet, instead of lashing out in the name of vengeance, Romero
brings justice. He states, “I want them to lie together for all to see. This Sunday…there will be a
single mass in the cathedral, and it will be for a fine priest, an old man, and the boy.” (Romero,
00:32:22-00:33:05) It is at this funeral mass where the viewer sees parallelism between Romero
and Jesus through his homilies. This is the first time in the movie where Romero preaches
publicly. Like Jesus, Romero spreads a very real message to love one another. Romero preaches
his homily titled, “The Motivation of Love,” on March 14, 1977, at the funeral mass of Fr.
Rutilio Grande (Romero, “The Motivation of Love”). Within his words, lies the words of Jesus
Christ. Rather than declaring retaliation and foolery on the enemy, Romero states, “We do not
raise our voice for revenge. We are concerned about the things of God who commands us to love
him above all things and to love others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31)” (Romero, “The
Motivation of Love”). Romero preaches humility and peace. His proposal for positive action
resembles Christ in him. This is the way Jesus would take.
Tensions rise between the rich and the poor when Romero is confronted with Arista
Zelada–an upper-class woman whose husband has been kidnapped. The impatient Zelada snaps
at Romero when “soon” is not a good enough answer for her. She tells Romero that she hears he
is, “only sympathetic to the poor…to radicals” (Romero, 00:48:07-00:48:14). Romero responds,
“I must minister to everyone” (Romero, 00:48:18-00:48:22). This conversation foreshadows the
discrimination the wealthy show towards the poor. In the last confrontation Romero has with
Zelada, she asks him for a private baptism to avoid baptism with “a bunch of Indians” (Romero,
1:10:07-1:10:10). When Romero denies her request, Zelada states, “You have deserted us”
(Romero, 1:10:20-1:10:22). Witnessing Romero’s outright dedication to the poor embraces
kenosis. Kenosis or “self-emptying” is how Christ laid down his divinity for humility (“The
Self-Emptying of Christ”). It can be said that Christ’s kenosis is “not to be seen as a divestment
of deity; on the contrary, it is an expression of deity. Jesus is able to do it because he is God”
(“The Self-Emptying of Christ”). This emphasizes the importance of the ladder metaphor. Since
Jesus is God, he could be with the king of kings, the richest of the rich. However, Jesus chooses
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to climb down the ladder to be with the lowest of the low—the poor, the enslaved. He empties
himself to prove his divinity. Romero has done the same. Almighty Archbishop Romero chooses
to cater to the impoverished civilians of El Salvador. Although his name could be adored and
glorified by the wealthy, Romero denies this satisfaction. He denies the rich and advocates rights
for those in poverty. Romero embraces kenosis to be one with Christ.
Being parallel to Christ, Romero shows a creative response to violence. An inspiring
scene occurs when Romero arrives at the desecrated church. When the people see Romero, one
by one they follow him to the Church. Romero and his people walk towards the church which is
guarded by armed soldiers. In a time of unpredictable violence, Romero still desired to have
mass—which shows Christ in him. Instead of throwing a riot, or attacking the soldiers, Romero
utilized the third way. The third way was a tactic that Jesus taught his disciples. He offered the
third way “to people who feel oppressed, beaten down, and taken advantage of” (Sideco, 1). The
El Salvadoran people were oppressed, beaten, and taken advantage of. They turned towards
Romero for salvation and advocacy. Not only was Jesus’ third way used to protect the
disadvantaged, but it put law enforcement in its place. If law enforcement pushes boundaries
“becomes abusive and excessive, and does not view people as human beings, it must be
reformed” (Sideco, 2). Romero displays creative resistance to the abusive El Salvadoran
government. Romero utilizes Jesus’ third way by calmly entering the church. No words, no
physical abuse, just silent resistance. In reaction to the third way, the soldiers put down their
weapons and let the people into the desecrated church unharmed–a miracle in itself.
Another miracle of Christ is shown through his blood atonement or the sacrifice of blood
for sins. All know how Jesus suffered and died on the cross. The crucifixion shows blood
atonement when Jesus died for the sin of humanity. Romero also sheds his blood for the people
through his assassination. On “March 24, 1980” Romero was assassinated in the church during
mass (Cooper and Hodge). The death of Romero was devastating for the people of El Salvador.
Not only did Romero advocate for his people, but he revoked the misinformation spread through
the media and detested violence (Cooper and Hodge). Therefore, Romero did not shed his blood
in vain. Romero died for liberation of the El Salvadoran people—for justice. Romero ultimately
gave his life for the oppressed El Salvadoran civilians. He lived out his life in service to them.
Jesus and Romero reveal to his followers that “blood is not a substitution…but rather an
invitation to come and give your life for the marginalized so that you might find the salvation
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that comes from giving your life for others” (Hood). It is within that salvation which Jesus and
Romero give their life. There is power in blood atonement. Blood is for all to share. Within the
blood, the seed of liberation sprouts. Liberation for the oppressed, impoverished, and exploited.
Romero and Jesus both shed their blood for the good will of their people–a selfless act.
Although Romero is not the incarnate of Jesus in a physical sense, Romero’s actions and
strong-willed faith prove to be resurrected within his followers. Since Romero’s body cannot be
resurrected, Romero lives on in the memories of others. At the end of the film, Romero states,
“I’ve often been threatened with death. If they kill me, I shall arise in the Salvadoran people. Let
my blood be a seed of freedom, and the sign that hope will soon be reality. A bishop will die, but
the Church of God, which is the people, will never perish” (Romero, 01:47:57-01:42:24).
Romero strongly declares that he will live on in his people–similar to how Jesus Christ lives on
through the faith of Christians. Great heroes never die. Their legacy is emphasized. Romero and
Jesus Christ may not have won the battle, but their army is strong. With unconditional love and
trust in God, the resurrection of Romero is true. To this day, Romero’s legacy is apparent.
Through faith, advocacy, and radical justice, Oscar Romero parallels Jesus Christ. During
the film, the viewer witnesses Oscar Romero’s descent of Christology, human incarnation
expressed from homilies, self-emptying or kenosis, demonstration of the third way, advocacy for
the poor and oppressed, blood atonement through assassination, and immortal legacy through
resurrection in faith. This Christ figure film incorporates these parallels seamlessly. Through
direct and metaphorical interpretation, Duigan shows that Romero has similar relations to Jesus
Christ. Like Jesus Christ, Romero is an inspirational human-being. He will live on forever
through the hearts of people.
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Works Cited

Cooper, Linda, and James Hodge. “Archbishop Oscar Romero, El Salvador's Most Trusted News
Source.” National Catholic Reporter, National Catholic Reporter, 21 Mar. 2015,
www.ncronline.org/news/world/archbishop-oscar-romero-el-salvadors-most-trusted-news
-source.

Hood, Jeff. “Power in the Blood: Oscar Romero, a Failed Atonement Theory and the Inner Seed
of Liberty.” Jeff Hood: Engaging Radical Theology, Patheos , 26 Mar. 2014,
www.patheos.com/blogs/jeffhood/power-in-the-blood-oscar-romero-a-failed-atonement-t
heory-and-the-inner-seed-of-liberty/.

Martin, James. Jesus: A Pilgrimage. HarperOne, 2014.

“Oscar Romero: a Voice for Poor Communities.” CAFOD, Catholic Agency for Overseas
Development, 2022, cafod.org.uk/News/International-news/Oscar-Romero-life-timeline.

Romero, Directed by John Duigan, performances by Raul Julia, Richard Jordan, and Ana Alicia
Four Seasons Entertainment, 1989
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaQWd0uBaHs&t=4010s.

Romero, Oscar. “The Motivation of Love.” The Archbishop Romero Trust, n.d.,
http://www.romerotrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/homilies/ART_Homilies_Vol1_1_Motiv
ation_Love.pdf

Sideco, Jocelyn A. “Jesus’ Third Way Is What I Try to Practice.” National Catholic Reporter, 16
Feb. 2017.

“The Self-Emptying of Christ.” Fuller Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, 2022,

www.fuller.edu/next-faithful-step/resources/kenosis/.