Almost half of East Timor's population was in the audience when Pope Francis held mass in the capital Dili on Tuesday. Local organizers estimate that 600,000 people participated, according to the Vatican's spokesperson Matteo Bruni.
One of the visitors, 44-year-old Dirce Maria Teresa Freitas, arrived at the park where the mass was held more than seven hours early.
We are very happy that the Pope came to Timor because it is a blessing for our country and our people, she says.
East Timor has been predominantly Catholic since the Portuguese arrived in the early 16th century. Today, around 97 percent of the population are Catholics.
East Timor is one of the poorest countries in the world. Approximately 42 percent of the 1.3 million inhabitants live below the poverty line, according to the UN Development Program (UNDP). The country became independent from Indonesia in 2002 and is thus the youngest country in Asia.
