Deputy Prime Minister of the Vatican Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra arrives in Timor-Leste

DILI, 19 september 2022 ( TATOLI)– The Deputy Prime Minister of the Vatican Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, and the delegation from the Vatican arrived in Timor-Leste today at around 12:45 Tl hour, with Indonesia commercial flight Citylink.

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Vatican Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra arrived at Dili International Airport around 12;54 local times and was received by Archbishop Virgílio Cardinal do Carmo da Silva and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Juliao da Silva, the Head of the Organizing Committee Fr. Guilhermino da Silva and the other priests.

Previous before the visit of Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Ambassador of the Holy See to Timor-Leste, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi officially announced his visit after having a meeting with Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, in Farol, Dili.

Monsignor Sprizzi said the purpose of the visit is to inaugurate the new embassy of the Vatican in Dili and affirm the importance of the adoption of the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” which had been adopted by the National Parliament, in may 2022.

“It was an extraordinary historical decision by Timor-Leste. Timor-Lese is the first country in the world, and the first parliament in the world to make this decision for fraternity, for brotherhood between peoples, and between all citizens,” Sprizzi said.

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.

Sprizzi added Cardinal Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra’s visit will also to meet the people, the children, and the youth to celebrate a great mass at the Cathedral of Dili: “It’s going to be a beautiful celebration between the Holy See’s Deputy Prime Minister and Timorese people.”

Journalist: Camilo de Sousa

Editor: Nelia Borges