Pope Francis confirmed Oscar Romero would be beatified in what he hoped would be a swift process.
"For me Romero is a man of God," The Pope said.
Archbishop Romero was shot dead during Mass in 1980 after being an outspoken critic of the military regime during the civil war in El Salvador.
The Vatican has been concerned he had Marxist ideas.
Beatification is a process on the path to sainthood and would give Archbishop Oscar the title 'blessed'.
Pope Francis said:"There are no doctrinal problems and it is very important that [the beatification] is done quickly."
For many years there's been confusion in El Salvador about why the Holy See had ignored the life of the Archbishop and not taken this action sooner.
No-one has ever been convicted in connection with the murder.