In countries such as Timor-Leste, Pope Francis wasn’t just the head of the Catholic Church. Source: ABC News.
Holding back tears, local Francisca Wongabou said: “I feel the Pope as my king.
“Because he recently came less than a year ago, I feel the pope is not dead. I am surprised and do not accept reality,” she said.
Ms Wongabou was one of dozens of people who gathered for a late-night vigil to remember the Pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88.
Timor-Leste has the highest proportion of Catholics outside of Vatican City, with more than 97 per cent of the population identifying as practising the faith.
The Pope’s three-day visit last September was described as the biggest event in the country since it gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
An estimated 600,000 people attended the Pope’s Mass in a field outside the capital, Dili.
The event was a significant moment for local Joanina Amaral.
“I received the first blessing [from the Pope] together with my child,” Ms Amaral said.
“My child was born with a disability; when the Pope blessed my child, his health improved, although he did not walk [his health] is still good until now”.
Though his papacy began far from the Pacific, Pope Francis became a symbol of unity and resilience in Asia and the Pacific.
His 12-day visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore was the longest trip he took during his papacy.
President Jose Ramos Horta said he had been worried about the Pope’s health during the visit but was impressed by how he handled the occasion.
“Everybody wanted to touch him, everybody wanted to kiss his hands, everybody wanted him to bless their rosaries … he always had a smile,” Mr Ramos Horta said.
“When the message came from Rome [that Pope Francis had died], I was so shocked, so surprised, so sad, so overwhelmed.
“I know we are losing yet another great world leader in a time of great turmoil, in a time of huge deficit in world leadership, leadership of wisdom.
“We have lost a great moral voice, a voice of compassion.”
The country has declared a week of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast from today.
FULL STORY
Pope Francis leaves significant legacy in Asia Pacific (ABC News)
