ROME: 27 august 2022 (TATOLI) – Pope Francis held a meeting with Timor-Leste’s Charismatic leader, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão in the Vatican, where they discussed peace and conflict resolutions to end the war in the world to bring development and improve the lives of the people.
Gusmão was overwhelmed by Pope Francis’s appreciation words on the progress made by Timor-Leste in promoting peace and religious tolerance over the past 20 years.
“I am very delighted to meet his Holiness Pope Francis. On behalf of the President of the Republic, I informed his Holiness that Timor-Leste always accompanied his mediation initiative to put an end to the Russian-Ukraine conflict,” Gusmão said after meeting Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace of Holy See, in Rome, on thursday (25/08).
At the meeting, Gusmão extended President Horta’s appreciation to his Holiness for promoting Timor-Leste as the first country in the world to adopt the Human Fraternity document.
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The “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” was signed on february 4, 2019, in Abu Dhabi during the pope’s visit to the United Arab Emirates. It seeks to promote a “culture of mutual respect” between the religions.
“I conveyed to his Holiness about numerous activities carried by Timor-Leste on promoting peace and religious tolerance. Some of the groups from Timor-Leste will have presentations in Jakarta to promote the culture of mutual respect to ensure peace and harmony between various religions, including Christians, Muslims, Buddha, Hindus, and so on,” Gusmão stressed.
Pope Francis highlighted the importance of promoting the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” to the whole world.
“I can see the joy in his Holiness’ face. It makes me happy, and I told him that all Timorese people will pray for him and his health to keep promoting peace and reconciliation between religions to end the conflicts between nations in the world,” said Gusmão.
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During the discussion, his Holiness told Gusmão that he did actually plan to visit Timor-Leste last year, but saying due to the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore, he had to postpone the visit.
“On behalf of the Timorese people, I requested his Holiness to visit Timor-Leste, and he considered my request to visit Timor-Leste,” Gusmão said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Vatican is set to visit Timor-Leste on september 19, to participate in the inauguration of the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See, in Dili.
During the meeting, Pope Francis said Timor-Leste deserved a cardinal like Virgílio do Carmo da Silva.
The meeting between Pope Francis and Gusmão ended with exchanging gifts. The delegation from the Timor-Leste side presented Timorese Coffee and Kaibauk to Pope Francis, while his Holiness handed over statues, medals, books, and rosary necklaces to the delegation.
After the meeting, Gusmão and his team also presented coffee, Timorese handwoven traditional textile ‘Tais’ and traditional artifacts ‘Kaibauk’ and ‘Morten’, to the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Substitute for the Secretariat of State of the Vatican, Edgar Robinson Peña Parra, the Secretary of Relation with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Head of Protocol of the Vatican, Joseph Murphy, and Bruno Bastos Lins, the Deputy of Head of Protocol.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
