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World

Pope urges faithful to take 'heroic example' of slain Salvadoran bishop killed for his faith

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Pope Francis delivers his speech as he celebrates a mass of Pentecost in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (The Associated Press)

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    Pope Francis blesses the altar as he celebrates a mass of Pentecost in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (The Associated Press)

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    A nun looks at Pope Francis as he walks in procession to celebrate a mass of Pentecost in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (The Associated Press)

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis urged pilgrims filling St. Peter's Square on Pentecost Sunday to take "the heroic examples" of a slain El Salvadoran bishop and an Italian nun who worked in Kenya who were beatified this weekend.

Francis stressed that Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador was killed out of hatred of his faith, saying "he chose to be among his people, especially the poor and the oppressed, even at the price of his life." Romero was assassinated as he celebrated Mass in 1980.

The pope said Irene Sefani served the people of Kenya with "joy, mercy and tender passion."

Beatification is the first step toward sainthood.

Francis also expressed "extreme worry and pain" for the plight of thousands of migrants in southeast Asia facing "great suffering and danger."