EL SALVADOR. - The smallest (34,126 sq km) of the Central American republics and the only one that faces only the Pacific.
SALUZZO, MARCHESES OF. - Monument to Ludovico II, attributed to B. Briosco (15th century) - Saluzzo, church of St. John.
I. GEOGRAPHY
The territory consists of a high inland plateau (600 m. in height, on average), with volcanoes some of which are still active, and of a not wide coastal strip, interrupted by lagoons. The climate is hot and humid on the coast, more temperate and healthy in the elevated regions. El Salvador is an agricultural country; the main products are: coffee, largely exported, sugar cane, cocoa, tobacco, agave and, recently, cotton; cereals (maize and rice) provide for internal needs. The forests are rich in valuable essences; mineral resources (gold and silver) are mediocre. Industries, despite modern progress (textiles), are of merely local value. It should be noted, however, that El Salvador is, in terms of its economic development, the most advanced state in Central America.
The population (2,200,000 inhabitants) is made up of 15% whites, 10% Amerindians and 75% mestizos. Its density (60 per sq. km.) is the highest in Central America. The only city that exceeds 100,000 inhabitants is the capital, San Salvador. La Unión (10,000 inhabitants) is the port with the greatest traffic.
El Salvador is a unitary republic, with a president renewable every six years and a legislative assembly elected by universal suffrage.
Bibliography2 works
Giuseppe Caraci
II. CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
At the time of the discovery of America and of the subsequent Spanish penetration into the continental lands, present-day El Salvador was inhabited by the Pipil, an Aztec people, whose capital Cuscatlán was occupied in 1525 by Pedro de Alvarado, who had entered the country from Mexico through Guatemala.
Three years later Pedro's brother, Jorge, founded the city of San Salvador a short distance from Cuscatlán. El Salvador was therefore part of the captaincy general of Guatemala, whose jurisdiction extended over all the present-day republics of Central America (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala) and over the Mexican provinces of Chiapas and Yucatan.
(propr. Euc. Catt.)
The evangelization of the Indian tribes was begun at once by the Dominicans and the Franciscans, the latter of whom converted them from their convent founded in 1547 at San Salvador. Ecclesiastically El Salvador depended on the bishop of Guatemala, who was a suffragan, until 1743, of the archbishop of Mexico, and was then elevated in that year to the archiepiscopal dignity. The end of Spanish rule in America marked the beginning of a very turbulent period in the history of El Salvador. Incorporated in 1822 into Mexico, upon the fall of the emperor Iturbide El Salvador entered, the following year, the Confederation of Central America, which lingered on in a precarious state and amid continual threats of disintegration until 1839, the year in which it was definitively dissolved. Once the independent Republic of El Salvador was proclaimed, the Holy See provided on 28 Sept. 1842 for the foundation of a bishopric of the same name, which in 1913 was elevated to an archbishopric with the two new suffragan sees of Santa Ana and San Miguel dependent on it. On 22 Apr. 1862 Cardinal Antonelli and Fernando de Lorenzana, marquis of Belmonte and minister plenipotentiary of the Republic, concluded in Rome a Concordat by virtue of which the Catholic religion was recognized as the religion of the State and was granted the guarantee of its full exercise throughout the territory of the Republic. Moreover, the bishops were assured of every freedom of communication with the Holy See and of the faculty to govern and administer their dioceses without interference by the state authorities in ecclesiastical matters. Nevertheless the Concordat could never be fully applied, above all because of the unsettled internal conditions of the Republic and of the almost continual conflicts with neighboring Guatemala. The situation improved noticeably in the new century. Until 1931, in fact, there were no other revolutionary attempts crowned with success.
Bibliography4 works
Silvio Furlani
III. LEGAL SITUATION OF THE CHURCH
The recent Constitution, promulgated on Sept. 14, 1950, recognizes the juridical personality of the Catholic Church (art. 161), while the other Churches may receive recognition by requesting it on a case-by-case basis.
However, all the modifications made by the Constitutional Charter of 1945 to that of 1886 that were favorable to the Church itself have been abolished. No mention, for example, is made of the Catholic religion as that professed by the vast majority of the people. Ministers of any worship are forbidden to belong to political parties and to obtain public offices (art. 24). Likewise forbidden is the establishment within the national territory of contemplative orders (art. 156), and there are limitations on the right of ownership of religious bodies and congregations (art. 140). Since 1882 the precedence of the civil act over religious marriage has been imposed; the Civil Code readily permits divorce; illegitimate children are placed on a completely equal footing with legitimate ones. Such legislation contributes not a little to the deplorable conditions of the family institution in El Salvador.
In art. 201 the secular character of the school has been reaffirmed, having been abolished by the constitutional reform decree of Dec. 1945, and the situation of private schools has also become less favorable, since they have been subjected to regulation and inspections by the State, which moreover may exclusively reserve to itself the training of teachers (art. 202). The Constitution further provides that private schools may not refuse to accept a pupil on the grounds of the illegitimacy of his birth (art. 202). Other legislative provisions, from 1926 for secondary schools and from 1939 also for primary ones, require that 80% of the teachers be Salvadoran. These, however, which would prove seriously prejudicial to the colleges run by religious personnel, are not rigorously applied.
In the appointment of bishops, the government of El Salvador is entitled to no interference nor to any form of right of patronage.
Relations between the Holy See and the Republic of El Salvador are normal. Diplomatic relations exist between the two parties, with an apostolic nuncio accredited to the government of El Salvador and an ambassador to the Holy See.
Since 1935 the pontifical representation in El Salvador has been united, in the person of its holder, with that of Guatemala.
Bibliography
Ippolito Rotoli
IV. SCHOOL SYSTEM
It must be noted that the Republic of El Salvador is making a praiseworthy and effective effort to improve both the level of instruction and education of the people and the treatment of the teaching body.
Elementary school covers 6 years; in 1951 there were 1,520 schools (with a tendency to increase considerably), directed by 3,700 teachers with 11,000 pupils. Secondary school, called "Five courses of sciences and letters," covers 5 years; in 1951 there was 1 normal school and 22 vocational schools, with a total of 3,336 pupils. It grants the title of bachelor and with this opens access to the University. The latter is established in the capital, has five Faculties and is attended by 900 students.
Worthy of note is the "Rafael Campo Rehabilitation Farm" for juvenile delinquents, in which the most recent experiments are carried out both in the field of agriculture and in that of re-education, taking into account the environment and the character of those being re-educated in order to better prepare them for the social circumstances in which they will return to live. Likewise noteworthy is the impetus given to facilitate the reading of books and documentation, by creating new public libraries and expanding those already existing; all with free lending.
The sums allocated for culture and popular instruction represent 13.5% of the general budget of the State.
Bibliography3 works
Celestino Testore