It is an indirect acknowledgment of the abuse scandal involving Nobel Peace Prize-winning independence hero, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo.
ADVERTISEMENTPope Francis has called for the protection of young people during his visit to Timor-Leste.
"Let us not forget so many children and adolescents whose dignity has been wounded. This phenomenon is surfacing all over the world," he said during a speech. "We are all called to act responsibly to prevent all kinds of abuse and to ensure a serene growth for our young people."
This is an indirect acknowledgment of the abuse scandal involving Nobel Peace Prize-winning independence hero, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo.
Two prominent Catholic figures in Timor-Leste have been at the centre of sexual abuse allegations, including Belo, who was previously the head of the country's Catholic Church. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 and is largely celebrated in Timor-Leste for being instrumental in the country gaining independence from Indonesia in 2002.
But Belo abruptly resigned the same year, citing poor health, and was sent to Mozambique to work as a missionary before moving to Portugal.
He was secretly sanctioned by the Vatican from having contact with children or Timor-Leste following allegations that he sexually abused underage boys over a 20-year period, which were eventually made public and acknowledged by the Vatican in 2022.
Following his speech at the Presidential Palace, the Pope met children with disabilities at the Irmas Alma School in East Timor's capital Dili, where he was given a warm welcome by the nuns and children.
The Pope later arrived at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in East Timor's capital Dili, where he met religious officials, seminarians and catechists.
Timor-Leste is the most Catholic country outside of the Vatican. Its residents were eager to welcome the first pope to visit them as an independent nation.
This is the Pope’s third stop of his 12-day Southeast Asia and Oceania tour, having previously visited Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
After Timor-Leste, Francis will visit Singapore before returning to Rome on 13 September.