More than half of Timor-Leste’s population, or some 700,000 people, are anticipated to attend an outdoor mass the Pope will celebrate later on Tuesday near the capital Dili.
There is a great deal of excitement around the pontiff’s arrival, but activists are pressing the Pope to confront a recent abuse crisis that damaged the Church in Timor-Leste, formerly known as East Timor.
Regarded as a national hero for his independence, a well-known bishop is charged with sexually assaulting young boys in the nation of Southeast Asia in the 1980s and 1990s.
A spokeswoman for the Vatican stated that the church was aware of the lawsuit against Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests in Oceania urged Pope Francis to utilize church funds to compensate the victims, saying that there “still has not been redress for the victims” in an open letter.
