Pope Francis arrived in East Timor on Monday to encourage its recovery from a bloody and traumatic past and celebrate its development after two decades of independence from Indonesian rule.
Francis arrived in Dili from Papua New Guinea to open the third leg of his trip through Southeast Asia and Oceania. He'll meet with Timorese leaders and diplomats later Monday.
The overwhelmingly Catholic East Timor, one of the world's poorest countries, eagerly awaited Francis' arrival, which came on the heels of the 25th anniversary of the U.N.-backed referendum that paved the way for independence from Indonesia.
"Our great hope is that he may come to consolidate the fraternity, the national unity, peace and development for this new country," said Estevão Tei Fernandes, a university professor.
It was a far different atmosphere than when the last pope visited. St. John Paul II came in 1989, when Timor was still an occupied part of Indonesia and fighting for its freedom. As many as 200,000 people were killed during the 24 years of Indonesian rule.
