East Timor’s authorities declared a public holiday early last week so that the Timorese population could welcome the nation’s first Catholic cardinal in a festive atmosphere. Dom Virgílio do Carmo da Silva – one of the new cardinals created by Pope Francis on August 27th – celebrated a Thanksgiving Mass which was attended by thousands of people. Agostinho Martins, an East Timorese living in Macau, says the name ‘Dom Virgílio do Carmo’ has become synonymous with hope.
