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Timor-Leste welcomes home mortal remains of bishops who stood with the people
The mortal remains of three former Church leaders return to Dili, joining those of a fourth bishop as Timor-Leste honours pastors who accompanied the nation through some of its darkest chapters.
By Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD – Dili
After decades away from their homeland, the mortal remains of three former Church leaders who accompanied the people of Timor-Leste through war, occupation and the struggle for self-determination have returned to the country they served.
The urns containing the remains of Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart, Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, and Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes arrived at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili on September 1 aboard an Aero Dili flight from Bali, Indonesia.
Their return marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church and the people of Timor-Leste. The three Church leaders are now reunited with the memory of Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva, as the nation prepares to lay all four to rest together at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Dili.
The mortal remains of three Church leaders receive full military honours upon their return to Timor-Leste
A solemn homecoming
The urns were received with full military honours by members of the Falintil-FDTL before being taken to the airport’s VIP lounge, where representatives of the government and the Catholic Church signed the official handover document.
Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, Archbishop of Dili, signed on behalf of the Church, while Tomás Cabral, president of the government’s organising commission, signed for the State.
From early morning, thousands of people gathered along the route to the airport. Students, catechists, religious, priests, scouts and families lined the streets to welcome Church leaders remembered by many as shepherds who remained close to the people in times of suffering.
President José Ramos-Horta was among those present to receive the remains, together with former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, senior government and military officials, and Church leaders.
The mortal remains of three Church leaders receive full military honours upon their return to Timor-Leste
‘Voices of the voiceless’
Speaking on behalf of the Timor-Leste Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Virgílio said the repatriation was more than a ceremonial act.
The Church, he said, received their mortal remains “with hearts filled with joy, gratitude and spiritual emotion.” Their return, he added, was a moment to reaffirm the religious and national identity of Timor-Leste and a sign of cooperation between Church and State.
“During the darkest moments of our history and struggle, they became the voice of the voiceless,” the Cardinal said.
“They stood firmly beside those who suffered amid the hardships and violence of war. They became pillars of hope and defenders of human dignity and the right of this land to self-determination.”
Cardinal Virgílio expressed gratitude to the Government of Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, the Presidency of the Republic, the Timorese Embassy in Portugal, the Salesian community of Évora, the Patriarchate of Lisbon and the Archdiocese of Évora for their roles in bringing the remains home.
The Church leaders’ mortal remains were celebrated also with Holy Mass
Four shepherds, one history
The homecoming continued on September 2 with a solemn Mass at Tasi-Tolu, presided over by Bishop Norberto do Amaral, President of the Timor-Leste Episcopal Conference.
The celebration brought together the memory of the three Church leaders whose remains had returned from Portugal with that of Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva, whose remains had been transferred from the Maloa–Ailok Laran Cemetery in Dili.
In his homily, Bishop Norberto reflected on the lives of the four pastors and their place in the history of the Timorese Church.
“They had been away from Timor for many years,” he said. “Some left because of age and retirement, while others were separated from the country because of its political situation. Today, they return to Timor not physically, but spiritually, as their mortal remains, preserved in ashes, are brought back among us.”
Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart became the first Bishop of Dili after the diocese was separated from Macau. During the Japanese occupation, he took refuge in Australia and later returned to a Dili devastated by war, where even the newly inaugurated cathedral had been destroyed.
Despite a severe shortage of priests, he helped rebuild the diocese and strengthened the formation of catechists and clergy, including through the establishment of a minor seminary.
His successor, Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, continued this pastoral work and entrusted increasing responsibilities to Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes.
Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes was the first priest assigned to Bobonaro. He founded Colégio Infantes Sagres in Maliana, later served as Chancellor of the Diocese of Dili, and eventually became a prominent voice for the Timorese people during the Indonesian occupation.
Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva, the fourth pastor remembered at the Mass, was parish priest of Motael during the Santa Cruz massacre of 12 November 1991, when Indonesian forces opened fire on demonstrators in Dili. In the aftermath, he was repeatedly summoned by the authorities for questioning.
Together, the four pastors witnessed and accompanied the people of Timor-Leste through Portuguese colonial rule, the Japanese occupation, the Indonesian invasion and occupation, and the long struggle for independence.
Remembering the pastors
The Mass at Tasi-Tolu was attended by priests, religious, seminarians, government officials and thousands of faithful.
Bishop Norberto invited the people to remember not only the achievements of the four Church leaders but also their human limitations. He asked forgiveness, on behalf of the people, for sins and shortcomings committed against them and their legacy, and called on them to intercede for Timor-Leste and for the world.
Among those present were Cardinal Virgílio and Bishop Leandro Maria Alves, Chargé d’Affaires of the Holy See in Timor-Leste.
The repatriation followed an agreement reached in December 2025 between President Ramos-Horta and the Timor-Leste Episcopal Conference. In February 2026, the Church and Government announced a joint commission to coordinate the transfer.
The process began in Portugal on August 18 with a thanksgiving Mass at the Church of the Espírito Santo in Évora. The following day, a second ceremony was held at Évora Cathedral, presided over by the Patriarch of Lisbon, Cardinal Rui Manuel Sousa Valério.
A final resting place
The commemorations will continue in the coming days.
On September 3, a memorial ceremony in Manatuto will honour Monsignor Lopes. His remains will pass through Laleia before stopping at Manatuto Bridge, where a government resolution will be read and the bridge formally named in his memory.
The central celebration will take place on September 10, when the remains of all four Church leaders will be laid to rest together at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Dili.
Their burial will bring together four pastors whose lives were intertwined with some of the most defining moments of Timor-Leste’s history.
Until then, the faithful are invited to continue visiting Tasi-Tolu to pray, celebrate Mass and pay tribute to the four Church leaders whose names, Cardinal Virgílio said, “are written in our history” and whose memory “continues to live in our hearts.
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