Government and Catholic Church Inaugurate Monuments Honouring Catholic Prelates and St John Paul II
Yesterday, September 9th, 2026, in Dili, the Government and the Timorese Episcopal Conference (CET) inaugurated the Monument and Garden of Remembrance, honouring the prelates and religious figures who contributed to the history of Timor-Leste, located on the grounds of Dili Cathedral, as well as the restored Monument and Garden of St John Paul II in Tasi Tolu.
The two inaugurations are part of the programme of official ceremonies organised by the Government and the Timorese Episcopal Conference from September 1st to 10th, in honour of Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart, Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, and Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva, recognising their pastoral dedication and contributions to the people and history of Timor-Leste.
The ceremonies began on September 1st with the arrival in Dili, from Portugal, of the remains of Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Dili; Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, the second Bishop of the Diocese of Dili; and Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, former Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dili. The remains of the three prelates were laid to rest alongside those of Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva, who served as Bishop of Dili from 2004 to 2015.
As part of this programme, commemorative tributes were also held in Dili, Laleia, and Manatuto, including the renaming of the Manatuto Bridge to the “Mons. Martinho da Costa Lopes Bridge” on September 3rd.
On the morning of September 9th, the Monument and Garden of Remembrance was inaugurated on the grounds of Dili Cathedral in memory of the prelates, priests, and religious men and women who served the Church and the people of Timor-Leste and contributed to the nation's history.
Prior to the inauguration, the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, representing the Government, received the project documentation from the construction company and handed it over to the Catholic Church, represented by Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, Metropolitan Archbishop of Dili and President of the Timorese Episcopal Conference.
The monument incorporates elements associated with the Church’s pastoral mission and commemorates the contributions of prelates and members of religious congregations across the pastoral, educational, and social spheres, as well as their roles at different periods in the history of Timor-Leste.
The ceremony was blessed by Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, who was accompanied by the Bishop of Baucau, Leandro Maria Alves, and the Bishop of Maliana and Acting President of the CET, Norberto do Amaral.
In the late afternoon, the restored St John Paul II Monument and Garden in Tasi Tolu was inaugurated and blessed at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Government members, Catholic Church leaders, representatives of the F-FDTL and PNTL, traditional authorities, religious leaders, and the faithful.
The joint initiative by the Government and the Catholic Church aimed to restore and highlight the significance of this historic site, where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass during his 1989 visit to Timor-Leste.
The ceremony began with a Liturgy of the Word, presided over by Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, who then blessed the monument and garden.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister recalled the Catholic Church’s role throughout the history of Timor-Leste, particularly in education, the preservation and use of the Tetum language, and community development across the territory.
The Tasi Tolu site preserves the memory of St John Paul II’s visit to Timor-Leste and of the Pontiff’s meeting with the Timorese people during a landmark period in the country’s history.
The official tribute programme concludes today, September 10th, with the closing ceremonies marking the transfer of the remains of the four prelates.
At 5:00 p.m., Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva will preside at a Holy Mass in Tasi Tolu. Following the Mass, a decree from the Timorese Episcopal Conference is scheduled to be read, followed by remarks from the Acting President of the CET and the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta.
After the final blessing, the remains of Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart, Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, and Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva will be taken to Dili Cathedral, where the burial ceremony will be held.
The programme concludes with a visit to the new Monument and Garden of Remembrance on the grounds of Dili Cathedral, bringing the official ceremonies to a close. These ceremonies began on September 1st under the theme “Portraits of Faith and Eternal Memory of the Church and Timor-Leste – Celebrating the Legacy and Sacrifice of Our Beloved Prelates”.
