DILI, 23 April 2025 (TATOLI) – The Government of Timor-Leste, in collaboration with the Catholic Church, especially the Timorese Episcopal Conference (CTE-Portuguese) is preparing to hold an outdoor memorial mass to honor the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis.
The memorial mass will be held on Saturday (26/04) at 6 p.m. local time at the Esplanade of Taci Tolu, an open area in the western part of Dili, where the Pope presided over a Holy Mass on September 10, 2024, during his visit to the country, the spokesperson of the Communication Center of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dili, Fr. Jovito Rego de Jesus Araújo, announced on Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of Catholics in Timor-Leste are expected to attend the mass to honor Pope Francis’ death at the age of 88.
The faithful are encouraged to wear the ‘Pope Francis white short-sleeved T-shirt’, as they did during the late Pope’s Holy Mass last year.
In order to ensure a smooth and well-organized memorial Mass and other related ceremonies, the Government of Timor-Leste has designated the Ministry of State Administration as the department responsible for coordinating with the CTE in organizing the mass to honor His Holiness Pope Francis.
The Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, said that officers of the Timor-Leste National Police (PNTL) will be deployed in the Taci-Tolu area to facilitate the movement of traffic and provide security during the mass.
The memorial mass represents the Timorese people’s deep appreciation for the Holy Father.
On September 9, 2024, half of Timor-Leste’s 1.3 million people received their second papal visit, and their first since the country gained independence from Indonesia.
With 97% of Timorese identifying as Catholic the visit of His Holiness was much more than a simple visit.
As the Government Spokesperson and Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira described the late Pope’s visit to the country as a profound encounter with a people who had suffered so much in gaining their freedom and independence.
Pereira said Pope Francis’ three-day visit to the country had conquered the hearts and souls of a nation, leaving a powerful message: that the Timorese people have transformed 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.”
Pope Francis died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure at the Vatican on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 a.m. local time in Rome, at the age of 88.
The Pope’s funeral has been scheduled for Saturday (26/04), and three Timorese leaders, including President Ramos-Horta, Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, and Foreign Minister Bendito Freitas will be among the many world leaders to attend the funeral.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
