London, Aug 19 (IANS): Pope Francis has lifted a ban on the beatification of murdered Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, a media report said Tuesday.
For years, the Roman Catholic Church blocked the process because of concerns that Romero had Marxist ideas, BBC reported.
An outspoken critic of the military regime during El Salvador's civil war, Romero, 62, was killed Mar 24 1980, after ending his sermon in the capital, San Salvador.
No one has been convicted in connection with his murder.
"For me Romero is a man of God," the pontiff said Monday.
"There are no doctrinal problems and it is very important that the beatification is done quickly."
Romero was one of the main proponents of Liberation Theology - an interpretation of Christian faith through the perspective of the poor.
Beatification, or declaring a person "blessed", is the necessary prelude to full sainthood.