East Timor welcomes Pope Francis

Pope Francis arrived Monday in East Timor, where he will rally the Catholic-majority nation’s faithful with a huge mass on the third stop of a gruelling 12-day Asia-Pacific tour.

Catholic devotees have clamored to see Francis as he headed to Asia’s youngest nation — making pilgrimages from faraway towns and hours-long crossings of its border with Indonesia.

The 87-year-old arrived in East Timor’s capital Dili around 2:20 p.m. (0520 GMT) from Papua New Guinea.

“This will be a proud moment for me and my family. I think also for all the people of Timor-Leste,” said a waiting 42-year-old Nunsia Karmen Maya.

In Dili, a small seaside city sandwiched between mountains and the turquoise waters of the Ombai Strait, preparations for his three-day visit were in full swing.

Thousands of Catholic faithful lined the city’s streets to welcome the pontiff, holding up yellow-and-white umbrellas in the Vatican’s colors.

Vatican flags flew high across the city, which has had an expensive makeover before the visit. 

Authorities have relocated poor street-dwellers, including vendors in areas where Francis will travel, prompting criticism on social media.

Rights groups say some makeshift homes built by the poor were demolished in preparation for the mass. The government says they were erected illegally.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao swept the streets with locals to help clean up the city before the pontiff’s arrival.