Pope Francis will be visiting Timor-Leste, Asia’s youngest Catholic majority nation, according to its first cardinal.
Speaking at the Thanksgiving Mass for his inauguration as the country's first cardinal on Sept. 6, Cardinal Dom Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Dili said the pope spoke about the intention to visit the country during a private audience with him.
“I met with Pope Francis on the last day [at the Vatican] and informed him that the Timorese people are looking forward to his visit to Timor-Leste. Although it was difficult for him to stand up, from a wheelchair, the Holy Father said in a loud voice, 'I am going to visit Timor-Leste,'” said Cardinal da Silva.
The Mass, which was attended by thousands of people, was held in Tasi Tolu, a historic landmark for devotees in the tiny nation, where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass during his visit in 1989.
The cardinal said that "today the people of Timor-Leste are also waiting for the visit of Pope Francis who can give them hope to face any challenges."
He recalled that when Pope John Paul II visited the country, its people were still struggling for independence from Indonesia.
That brief visit 33 years ago had contributed greatly to the church and Catholics in Timor-Leste. "His arrival is the greatest gift given by God Almighty to his servant at a time that we consider very important," Cardinal da Silva added.
Pope Francis was supposed to have visited Timor-Leste, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea in September 2020. However, his trip was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In March, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi, the apostolic nunciature's chargé d'affaires in Dili said after meeting with Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhaes, chairman of the Council of Ministers, that the visit would take place this year, but the date could not be confirmed.
He said at the time that “Pope Francis has Timor-Leste at his heart.”
So far, the Vatican has not made an official statement regarding the visit.
Cardinal Peña Parra, the Vatican’s deputy secretary of state, is expected to visit Timor-Leste this month to inaugurate the embassy office in Dili. During the visit, he is also scheduled to celebrate Mass with the Timorese people and meet with religious leaders.
Timor-Leste has a 1.3 million population, where about 97 percent are Catholics, spread in three dioceses — Dili, Baucau, and Maliana.