Archbishop of San Salvador
José Luis Escobar Alas was born in Suchitoto, in the Archdiocese of San Salvador, on March 10, 1959. He pursued his ecclesiastical studies at the "San José de la Montaña" Central Seminary in San Salvador and at the Major Seminary of Morelia in Mexico. He obtained a Licentiate in Philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Ordained a priest on August 15, 1982, for the Diocese of San Vicente, he held various positions: Rector of the San Vicente diocesan minor seminary; Pastor of "Guadalupe"; Professor at the "San José de la Montaña" Central Seminary in San Salvador; Pastor of "El Pilar" in San Vicente; and Vicar General of the Diocese of San Vicente. On January 19, 2002, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Tibica and Auxiliary Bishop of San Vicente. He received episcopal ordination on March 23, 2002. On June 4, 2005, he was appointed Bishop of San Vicente.