DILI, 22 April 2025 (TATOLI) – Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, known for his humble style and concern for the poor, was the second pope to visit Timor-Leste—after St. John Paul II, who travelled to the country on 12 October 1989 during the Indonesian occupation.
Pope Francis was the first pontiff to visit the country since it gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
On July 5, 2024, the Timorese people were thrilled and exited to receive the great news that Timor-Leste would be included in Pope Francis’s trip to Asia and Oceania, his 45th international trip and the longest papal journey of his pontificate, which began on September 2, 2024
After visiting Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), Pope Francis set foot at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport on September 9, where half of Timor-Leste’s 1.3 million population welcomed His Holiness with cheers and greetings.
During his three-day stay in the country, Pope Francis met with some of the country’s national and religious leaders, visited vulnerable groups, and spoke to massive crowds of the faithful in Dili.
First Day (September 9, 2024)
On his first day in Dili, September 9, 2024, Pope Francis met with the President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace to mark the beginning of his historic three-day visit to the country.
During the meeting, His Holiness and President Horta held a bilateral meeting to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern between Timor-Leste and the Vatican.
At the Presidential Palace, the two leaders also convened a meeting with the Government Authorities, Civil Society, and the Diplomatic Corps, where they exchanged views on issues facing Timor-Leste and the global community. During the meeting, the Pope highlighted that adequate training for young Timorese is key to producing good future leaders to run the country.
The Holy Father said that the formation and preparation of good leaders with a good vision will be the key to the development and management of the country, especially for Timor-Leste, a young country, where the first generation, which is considered the founding father of the nation, is getting older.
“In order to solve these problems and to achieve the optimal management of the country’s natural resources—primarily oil and gas reserves, which could offer unprecedented possibilities for development—it is essential to prepare properly and provide appropriate training to those who will be called upon to be the country’s leaders in the not-too-distant future,” Pope said during the meeting at the Presidential Palace.
Second Day (September 10, 2024)
On his second day, September 10, 2024, the Pope visited children with disabilities at the Irmãs Alma School. In front of the children, Pope Francis praised the ALMA sisters for the love they give to the children with disabilities. “I want to thank you for what you are doing, and I also want to thank the girls and the boys who give us the testimony of letting themselves be taken care of. Because they teach us how we should let God take care of us. To let ourselves be taken care of by God and not by so many ideas, plans or whims,” said Pope Francis at the ALMA Sister House in Dili.
On the same day, Pope Francis also met with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians, and catechists at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where he gave an address. His Holiness then had a private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus at the Apostolic Nunciature.
Pope Francis concluded his second day in the country with an open-air Mass at the Esplanade of Taci Tolu. After concluding his Holy Mass with more than 600,000 Catholics who filled and decorated the Mass Arena in Tasi Tolu, Dili, with the Vatican’s flag color white and yellow, Pope Francis warned Timorese Catholics to beware of external influences that can destroy their faith as Catholic followers: “Be careful, because I’ve been told that crocodiles are coming to some beaches. Crocodiles that come swimming and have a stronger bite than we can handle,” said Pope Francis
The Holy Father urged the Timorese Catholic faith to remain vigilant against the crocodiles (external influencers) who pose a huge threat to Catholic culture in Timor-Leste: “Be attentive… be attentive to those crocodiles that want to change your culture, your history. And must stay away from those crocodiles because they bite, and they bite a lot.”
Third Day (September 11, 2024)
On his final day in the country, Pope Francis met with young people at the Dili Convention Center, where the Pope urged the Timorese Youth to make noise and respect their elders. He emphasized that true freedom implies respect for others, reminding young people of the sacrifices of their ancestors and the importance of reconciliation. “You, in this smiling country, have a marvellous history of heroism, faith and reconciliation,” said the Pope.
Pope Francis concluded his visit to Timor-Leste, the second predominantly Catholic country in Asia after the Philippines, with an appeal to build a future of fraternity and peace.
Following the death of Pope Francis, Timor-Leste’s national and religious leaders extended their deepest condolences on the passing of His Holiness.
“It is with profound sorrow that I learned of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francisco, who today returns to God our Lord after twelve years of a pontificate marked by humility, courage, and a luminous testimony of faith, justice, and love for humanity,” President Horta said in a statement released on Monday. “On behalf of the people of Timor-Leste, I extend our deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and to all the faithful around the world during this time of mourning and prayer.”
Cardinal Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dili, Dom Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, SDB, requested each parish across to celebrate a memorial Mass for the late Pope.
Cardinal Carmo considered the death of His Holiness Pope Francis a great loss for the Timorese people and the Catholics in the country.
The Government Spokesperson and Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, said that the visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, to Timor-Leste “was much more than a simple visit. It was a profound encounter with a people who had suffered so much in gaining their freedom and independence.”
“The Holy Father arrived in Timor-Leste and conquered the hearts and souls of a nation, leaving a powerful message: that the Timorese people transform their faith into their culture, and they have succeeded. A culture of reconciliation, tolerance, and forgiveness. The culture of a people who place the values of peace, harmony, and solidarity at the highest level of their existence. Our people will be eternally grateful for the Holy Father’s efforts in granting us this meeting – this sacred union,” said Minister Pereira.
Minister Pereira, on behalf of the Government and the Timorese, offered “heartfelt condolences to the Catholic Church, the College of Cardinals, the people of Argentina and all the faithful worldwide.
During his three-day stay in Timor-Leste, he left a message of hope, unity, and commitment to peace, emphasizing the importance of youth and the protection of the cultural and spiritual values of the Timorese people.
The Government of Timor-Leste, through an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, decreed a seven-day national mourning period, during which the flag will be flown at half-mast in honor of His Holiness Pope Francis’s memory.
Timor-Leste joins the millions of faithful worldwide in giving thanks for His Holiness Pope Francis’s life and mission.
Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires on 17 December 1936, the son of Italian immigrants. On 11 March 1958 he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. On 13 December 1969 he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. On 20 May 1992 Pope John Paul II appointed him titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires. On 21 February 2001, John Paul II created him Cardinal, assigning him the title of San Roberto Bellarmino. On March 13th, 2013, he was elected Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, adopting the name Francis in reference to Saint Francis of Assisi, a symbol of humility and commitment to the poor.
He was a spiritual leader with an invaluable impact on humanity, a tireless defender of the most vulnerable, and a promoter of peace, justice, and fraternity among peoples.
During his 12-year papacy, he sought to focus more explicitly on social justice and inter-religious dialogue.
TATOLI
