Church officials in Timor-Leste are eagerly preparing to welcome His Holiness Pope Francis for a historic three-day visit from September 9 to 11.
This visit, only the second by a Pope since the country’s independence, is seen as a momentous occasion that will further strengthen the deep-rooted Catholic faith of the Timorese people.
In anticipation of this significant event, the Timorese Episcopal Conference (CET) has taken the lead in organizing spiritual preparations. The CET Bishops have released a heartfelt letter to the faithful, expressing their excitement and hope for the Pope’s visit.
The letter was signed by Bishop Norberto do Amaral of Maliana and President of the CET, Virgílio Cardinal do Carmo da Silva, SDB, Archbishop of Dili and Vice President of the CET, and Bishop Leandro Maria Alves of Baucau and Secretary General of the CET.
The central theme of Pope Francis' visit, “Let your faith be your culture,” is a powerful call for Catholics in Timor-Leste to embrace their religious identity as "Timorese, children of God," in a land revered as the "Land of the Holy Cross, Land of Holy Mary."
The bishops hope this theme will inspire Timorese Christians to renew their baptismal commitment and reaffirm the unique presence of the Catholic faith in the country.
“This theme aims to inspire all Timorese Christians to renew their baptismal commitment and to reaffirm the presence of the Catholic faith in Timor with the unique identity of the Timorese people,” the bishops wrote.
Pope Francis’ visit will mark his first trip to Timor-Leste, following in the footsteps of Saint John Paul II, who visited the nation on October 12, 1989.
Reflecting on this legacy, the bishops remarked, “We still hold in our memory the first visit of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, to our country on October 12, 1989.
The monument at Tasitolu stands as a lasting reminder of that visit, where the Pope said, ‘You are the salt of the earth… you are the light of the world.’”
The letter continues, noting that “ten years later, this great light truly arrived, and we were allowed to determine our destiny through the referendum on August 30, 1999, which led us to independence.”
The bishops have extended an open invitation to all Catholic Timorese, urging them to actively participate in the events during the Holy Father’s visit.
The highlight of these events will be a grand Eucharistic celebration at the historic site of Tasitolu, where Pope Francis will preside over a Mass.
The bishops believe that this visit will not only deepen the faith of the people but also unite them in their shared identity as a nation profoundly rooted in Catholicism.
They also hope that the event will inspire the faithful to allow their faith to guide their actions and decisions as they continue to build their nation.
With a population that is 99 percent Christian—97 percent of whom identify as Catholic—Timor-Leste stands as one of the most devoutly Catholic nations in the world.
The CET bishops expressed their gratitude to government officials and all those involved in organizing this historic event. They concluded their message with a prayer to the Virgin Mary, seeking her intercession to ensure that the Pope’s visit brings abundant blessings to the nation.
“May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace, intercede for us so that the visit of Pope Francis to our land strengthens our Catholic faith, preserves grace, and grants God’s blessing, so that our faith may truly become our culture,” the bishops prayed.
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