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MacArthur Park's new monument to honor slain Salvadoran archbishop
A statue of monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero located in downtown San Salvador, on April 22, 2013.
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JOSE CABEZAS/AFP/Getty Images
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A woman passes by a mural depicting the portrait of Mons. Oscar Arnulfo Romero at La Divina Providencia Hospital in San Salvador on March 17, 2010, ahead of the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of his murder next March 24th.
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Jose CABEZAS/AFP/Getty Images
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Catholic faithfuls holds a cutout of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero during a procession to conmemorate the 30 anniversary of the murder of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero in San Salvador, El Salvador on March 20, 2010. More than 10,000 faithful gather to conmemorate the slaying of Romero on March 24, 1980 during the salvadorean civil war.
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JOSE CABEZAS/AFP/Getty Images
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MacArthur Park: Memorial Plaza and Monument to the Late Archbishop Oscar A. Romero
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Design concept by Mia Lehrer & Associates/SALEF
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The Salvadoran community is celebrating the groundbreaking of a plaza in Los Angeles honoring a Catholic archbishop beloved for his advocacy for the poor.
The L.A. Times reports that Saturday marks the beginning of building a new plaza and statue for Monsignor Oscar A Romero in MacArthur Park.
According to the official news release:
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at MacArthur Park, (corner of 7th Street and Alvarado Blvd., in Los Angeles) on Saturday, June 22 from 12:30pm to 2pm. The event is open to the public.
The area hosted protests against the civil war and has become home to one of the largest concentrations of Central Americans in the United States.
The $350,000 Romero monument will feature a statue of him and his quotes. It is expected to be complete in three months. The project is being overseen by the Salvadoran American Leadership & Educational Fund with design concept by Mia Lehrer & Associates.
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