Oekusipost.com – The planned visit of the world's highest Catholic leader to Timor-Leste has been canceled due to a temporary epidemic of corona virus that is still growing wildly in the world as well as throughout the Southeast Asian countries.
The Vatican representative to Timor-Leste, Nuncio Apostolic, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi stated that Pope Francisco had previously indicated his willingness to visit Timor-Leste this year but had been canceled because the corona virus had killed thousands of people in the world.
"We have been working for two months to welcome Pope Francisco's visit to Timor-Leste but because of the corona virus which has killed many people so Pope Francisco canceled his visit this year to 2021," Nuncio Apostolic, Monsignor Marco told reporters after meeting with the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lu Olo at the palace of President Ai-Tarak Laran Dili, Tuesday, March 10, 2020.
He explained the reason for canceling this visit because the first factor was the corona virus, and also when he arrived in Timor-Leste there would be many people gathering and coming to pick him up.
"Because he did not want his people affected by the corona virus so he canceled his visit," he explained.
Previously starting from former prime minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão in 2011 had asked Pope Francisco to visit Timor-Leste but was unsuccessful, and also President of the Republic Franciso Guterres Lu Olo and Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak also officially invited him to come to Dili but finally failed because of the corona virus.
