Pope Francis departed from the “Presidente Nicolau Lobato” International Airport in Dili, East Timor, bound for Singapore on Wednesday 11 September at 12:25 local time (5:25 in Rome). He thus concluded the third stage of his 45th international apostolic journey, the longest of his pontificate.
As is customary on his apostolic journeys, Francis sent a telegram to the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, to whom he extended his thanks to the local authorities and citizens for the generous welcome given to them during his visit. He also prayed to Almighty God to grant Timor “the gifts of peace and solidarity” and invoked upon everyone an abundance of blessings.
In his last public event in the country, the Bishop of Rome met with more than three thousand young people at the Dili Convention Center, with whom he discussed the importance of the values of freedom, commitment and fraternity, urging them to embrace freedom as an opportunity to do good to others.
The Successor of Peter spent three days in this predominantly Catholic Pacific nation: more than 95% of its 1.4 million inhabitants profess Catholicism.
According to local statistics, around 600,000 people attended his mass on Tuesday 10th at the Taci Tolu esplanade, near Dili.
Francis will spend three days in Singapore , with his first act being a private meeting with his Jesuit brothers serving in the nation. Then, on Thursday 12th, he will meet with the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps at the University Cultural Centre Theatre of the National University of Singapore and will preside over Holy Mass at the National Stadium of the Singapore Sports Hub. He is scheduled to return to Rome on Friday 13th at 11:50, arriving in the Eternal City at around 18:25.
