At 2:20 pm local time, Pope Francis arrived in Timor-Leste's capital city, Dili, at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, beginning his third stage of the Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania, and thousands of people cheered for him.
The Pope addressed all government leaders, representatives of civil society, and diplomats.
The Pope applauded the Timorese people for their "assiduous efforts to achieve full reconciliation with [their] brothers and sisters in Indonesia" and highlighted that they never gave up hope during the "dramatic" period of the independence struggle.
Pope Francis extends an invitation to the Timorese people to let their faith guide their values, endeavors, and decisions.
He stated, “We must find peace and the beginning of a new phase of development, improved living conditions, and an appreciation of the unspoiled splendor of this land and its natural and human resources .”
