DILI, 13 january 13 (TATOLI) — Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, Archbishop of Dili, held talks with the Patriarch of Lisbon, Rui Manuel Sousa Valério, on the repatriation of the mortal remains of Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes.
Cardinal Silva was accompanied by the Episcopal Vicar for Education, Father Guilhermino da Silva, who is also the parish priest of Motael Church in Dili.
The meeting took place in Lisbon on monday, january 12, 2026.
“During the meeting, Patriarch Rui Valério expressed his commitment to work closely with the Catholic Church in Timor-Leste and the government to facilitate a smooth transfer process of the remains of the Monsignor Martinho Lopes,” Archdiocese of Díli said in a statement.
Monsignor Lopes was a prominent religious and political figure from Timor-Leste.
Born on november 11, 1918, he served as the highest-ranking Catholic Church official in East Timor between 1977 and 1983.
Monsignor was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Dili after Pope Paul VI accepted his request to retire from episcopal duties in october 1977.
He also served as a member of Portugal’s National Assembly in Lisbon.
Monsignor Lopes, who served as Apostolic Administrator of Dili between 1977 and 1983, was a courageous critic of human rights violations during the Indonesian occupation. He became known as “the voice of the voiceless” and died in exile, in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 27, 1991.
TATOLI
