section_path: Personal life/Religion
section_name: Religion
paragraph_text: Religion
  
  Bukele's religious beliefs were controversial during his 2019 presidential campaign, with rumors that he was a Christian, a Muslim, or an atheist. The controversy began when pictures from 2011 of Bukele praying at a mosque with his father and brothers spread on social media. Bukele dismissed the controversy as an attempt by the political right to exploit Islamophobia in the predominantly Catholic country.
  
  Although Bukele does not identify with any religion, he has stated that he believes in God and Jesus. In a 2015 interview, Bukele said: "I am not a person who believes much in the liturgy of religions. However, I believe in God, in Jesus Christ. I believe in his word, I believe in his word revealed in the Holy Bible. And I know that God does not reject anyone because of their origins". Before that year, some Salvadorans believed that he was a Muslim.: 166 Bukele has referred to Bible verses, God, and Saint Óscar Romero — the archbishop of San Salvador who was assassinated in 1980 — in some of his speeches,: 166–172 and has called himself an "instrument of God" (" instrumento de Dios ").: 177 He met with Pope Francis in April 2015, saying that the pope told him that Rutilio Grande — a Jesuit priest who was assassinated in 1977 — would soon be beatified.: 166
  
  Bukele's religious beliefs were controversial during his 2019 presidential campaign, with rumors that he was a Christian, a Muslim, or an atheist. The controversy began when pictures from 2011 of Bukele praying at a mosque with his father and brothers spread on social media. Bukele dismissed the controversy as an attempt by the political right to exploit Islamophobia in the predominantly Catholic country.
  
  Although Bukele does not identify with any religion, he has stated that he believes in God and Jesus. In a 2015 interview, Bukele said: "I am not a person who believes much in the liturgy of religions. However, I believe in God, in Jesus Christ. I believe in his word, I believe in his word revealed in the Holy Bible. And I know that God does not reject anyone because of their origins". Before that year, some Salvadorans believed that he was a Muslim.: 166 Bukele has referred to Bible verses, God, and Saint Óscar Romero — the archbishop of San Salvador who was assassinated in 1980 — in some of his speeches,: 166–172 and has called himself an "instrument of God" (" instrumento de Dios ").: 177 He met with Pope Francis in April 2015, saying that the pope told him that Rutilio Grande — a Jesuit priest who was assassinated in 1977 — would soon be beatified.: 166