In 1989, Pope John Paul II visited Timor-Leste when our country had been invaded by the Indonesian military since 1975. Many Timorese people died in the war; we lost our parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and, loved ones. Timor-Leste is a country that has endured immense suffering, but Pope John Paul II’s visit became a turning point, drawing international attention to our plight.
In 1991, many young people died in the Santa Cruz massacre in Dili, as the Indonesian military killed many of our people. That was a sad and torturous chapter in our history. Timor-Leste fought for its rights, and we placed our faith in our culture to save us, entrusting everything to the Lord for protection from war. Because the Portuguese came to Timor centuries ago, Timor-Leste recognized God, and our ancestors cultivated their faith accordingly.
During the occupation, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo emerged as a prominent advocate for human rights in East Timor, with many priests and nuns risking their lives to defend civilians from military abuses. Pope John Paul II’s visit brought the situation in East Timor to global awareness and catalyzed independence activists to seek international support. Although the Vatican wished to maintain good relations with Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation, the Pope’s visit symbolically highlighted our struggles. He kissed a cross and pressed it to the ground upon his arrival, a gesture reflecting his usual practice of kissing the ground in a new country, while carefully avoiding overtly acknowledging East Timor’s sovereignty. He spoke passionately against violence in his sermon, imploring both sides to show restraint and urging the East Timorese to “love and pray for their enemies.”
Fast forward exactly 35 years ago, God has sent His Vicar, Pope Francis, to visit our beautiful island. The atmosphere surrounding this visit was filled with joy and anticipation, a stark contrast to the somber context of the past. Today, 98.6% of the population identifies as Catholic, compared to just 35 years ago when Pope John Paul II visited.
Through Pope Francis’s visit, we have discovered that our faith, passed down through generations, has become an integral part of our culture. We realized we have been protected by God since He sent missionaries from Portugal to Timor-Leste. God is our protector; He saved us and fights for our rights.
This visit of Pope Francis brought everyone together for a moment of pure love and care. Dili was crowded for three days—not because we were protesting against the war as we did 35 years ago, but because everyone felt safe, happy, joyful and, blessed. We are fully aware that the Pope’s visit was a revelation, much like Jesus entering Jerusalem. He brought us joy and calm to our hearts, which we have longed for over the years. Even today, I can still hear his name mentioned by many people; our social media is filled with notifications about the Pope, and here in Timor, people continue to share to each other his messages, homilies, and love for us. While internationally we may be seen merely as a small nation invaded by Indonesia, Pope Francis showed the world that we are the people of God, loved by Jesus Christ, and that the Lord cares for us.
On the first day, Monday, September 9, 2024, when the Pope arrived at Dili International Airport, Nicolau Lobato, many of us—not only those living in Dili but also people from other municipalities—gathered early in the morning to see him before he landed. Pope landed at 14:10 and passed along a road lined with people, as shown in the pictures here, which capture love, encouragement, happiness, and joy. After seeing him, some people told me that Pope Francis made them feel the presence of Jesus Christ; they felt the love in the Pope’s eyes and felt comforted. Everyone, including me, who was waiting for him on the road from the airport to the Nunciature, was filled with happiness and joy. Children, adults, young men, and women—all wanted to see Pope Francis.
On the next day, we had Mass with the Pope at Tasi-Tolu, Dili, at 4:30 pm. The wonderful thing is that we started our journey to the site at 4 AM (some even by 2am. This was an exciting moment; everyone arrived early at Tasi-Tolu just to find a good spot to see Pope Francis.
God is calling each of us through this visit to feel His love, glory, and blessings. The walk to Tasi-Tolu didn’t end until the Holy Mass began. According to Vatican media half of the Timor-Leste population participated in the mass. 750.000 people or more gathered in Tasi-Tolu, it was like the sand in the sea and the stars in the sky. Tasi-Tolu was crowded but calm; this was the first major event in Timor-Leste without conflict. I noticed that everyone felt the peace Pope Francis brought within us, especially the peace in our hearts. Many of us, Timorese people, along with some pilgrims from Australia and Indonesia (NTT), came together to celebrate the Holy Mass with Pope Francis.
Before the Pope arrived in Tasi-Tolu, it was very crowded and noisy, but when he began the Mass with “En El Nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo” (in Spanish), a profound silence fell over the crowd. Everyone was calm, perhaps because we wanted to hear the Pope’s voice or maybe it was the work of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the Mass, the Pope came to us and offered his blessing. I was crying when I saw him in the car, and when I looked around, I saw that many others were crying too. We all felt the pure love from Christ in that moment; perhaps it was the Holy Spirit touching our hearts.
After the Holy Mass, once the Pope left Tasi-Tolu, everyone began to head home around 10pm. I hope you saw the viral video capturing our return; the people from various municipalities and some who stayed with family in Dili were filled with enthusiasm and joy.
The conversations after the Mass were filled with excitement. People shared their feelings about seeing him in person, participating in the Mass, and hearing the Pope’s voice—such a wonderful mix of emotions. We felt blessed and grateful to God for His love for us, even though our country is a small island. He sees us as something special in His eyes.
The following day, the Pope met with Timorese youth at the Centro Convenções Dili (CCD) in the morning. It was his last day with us, and we felt both excited and sad, knowing he would leave soon. The crowds continued to gather to see the Pope. During the meeting with the youth, those fortunate enough to have a conversation with him waited in line at the CCD to see him off at Nicolau Lobato International Airport. Many of us cried at his departure. In a gesture of gratitude for his visit, some people laid traditional Timorese clothing called ‘Tais’ on the road as he passed by. When he left the CCD for the airport and boarded the plane, most of us were in tears. Some people ran to the hill just to say goodbye to Pope Francis.
This farewell left us with tears and happiness. We were sad because he left us so soon, but we were also happy because, during his time in Dili, he did many wonderful things to help us feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and the love of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. Writing this reflection makes my heart race because I was blessed to witness the emotions of the people when they saw Pope Francis. God is so good and has blessed us with love and grace. Glory to God.
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam. [Author: Iriana-ETR CDA]