DILI, 28 february 2024 (TATOLI) – The Government of Timor-Leste, through the Council of Ministers, had approved the allocation of US$12 million in preparing for Pope Francis’s visit to Timor-Leste in august this year, according to Government’s document.
“The Council of Ministers decided to authorize the expenditure of up to US$ 12 million from the Contingency Fund for the High-Level Institutional Commission for the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to organize activities in preparation for that visit,” said in a statement.
The pontiff is due to arrive in Dili in august for a two-day visit but the dates have not been confirmed yet.
Last month, a delegation of the Vatican visited Timor-Leste to study details about the planned visit of the Holy Father.
Earlier last month, Members of the Parliamentary Committee E on Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, on thursday, inspected the conditions of the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, as part of Timor-Leste’s preparations for the visit of Pope Francis.
The inspection came after President Horta confirmed Pope Francis possible visit to Timor-Leste.
The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, through Order No. 012/GPM /I/2024, of January 11th, 2024, appointed the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, as High-Level Institutional General Coordinator for the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis. The Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, was appointed High-Level Institutional Vice General Coordinator for this visit.
The responsibilities of the High-Level Institutional General Coordinator and the Vice General Coordinator include representing the Government of Timor-Leste with the representatives of the Holy See responsible for preparing the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to Timor-Leste, accompanying the Vatican delegation and proposing the appointment of an Executive Committee to prepare the visit. They are also mandated to liaise with competent government departments and other entities so that they take all the necessary actions to make the visit a reality.
Pope Francis’ visit will be the second papal visit to Timor-Leste, 34 years after the visit of the Pope John Paul II, in 1989.
Pope St. John Paul II was the first Pope to visit the island when it was Indonesia’s 27th province, called East Timor.
Pope St John Paul celebrated Holy Mass at the esplanade of Tasitolu in the capital Dili on october 12, 1989. More than 5,000 Timorese Catholics gathered in their capital Dili on wednesday, to commemorate the pastoral visit of Pope Saint John Paul II to Timor-Leste (East Timor) in 1989.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
