Pope arrives in East Timor, Asia’s youngest, most Catholic country

The Pope encouraged East Timor to follow Catholic social teaching and invest in education as it continues to develop.

“You are a young people. I am not referring to your culture and history, which are rather ancient, but to the fact that about 65 per cent of East Timor’s population is under the age of 30,” Francis commented.

“This statistic tells us that the first area for you to invest in is education, in the family, and in schools,” he added.

In the years since independence East Timor had one of the highest fertility rates in the world, with nearly seven births per mother.

Pope Francis’ visit to comes amid a sexual abuse scandal, after Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo – a national hero and Nobel Peace Prize winner – was sanctioned by the Vatican following allegations that he had abused boys for decades. The Vatican placed disciplinary restrictions on Belo in 2020, limiting his movement and banning him from contact with minors.

Speaking to East Timorese officials and dignitaries in his address inside the presidential palace, Pope Francis alluded to the scandal by emphasising the importance of safeguarding young people to protect them.

“Let us also not forget that these children and adolescents have their dignity violated – the phenomenon is emerging all over the world. In response, we are all called to do everything possible to prevent every kind of abuse and guarantee a healthy and peaceful childhood for all young people,” Francis said.

The Pope also expressed concern over the “scourge” of gang violence, describing how fights between rival martial arts clubs have led to deaths and injuries. A national ban on martial arts training in East Timor was among the government’s tightened security protocols implemented for the papal visit.

“These gang members are trained in martial arts, but instead of using this knowledge in the service of the defenceless, they use it as an opportunity to showcase the fleeting and harmful power of violence,” the Pope said.

East Timor is one of the least-visited countries in the world. The two official languages are Tetum and Portuguese, a legacy of Portugal’s centuries of colonial rule of the island. It now uses the US dollar as its currency. It is one of the poorest countries in south-east Asia with more than 40 per cent of the population living below the national poverty line.

This is the third stop on the Pope’s 11-day trip to four countries in south-east Asia and Oceania. While in East Timor, he will meet with youth, address the island’s clergy in one of the largest cathedrals in region, and preside over a massive outdoor Mass, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend.