Pope Francis’ East Timor mass draws 600,000 worshippers, nearly half the nation, Vatican says

An estimated 600,000 people in East Timor, just under half its population, turned out in the baking heat on Tuesday for a Mass with Pope Francis at a coastal park synonymous with the country’s long struggle for independence from Indonesia.

Filling a wide, dusty area where Indonesian forces were known to have buried slain Timorese independence fighters, people arrived as early as 1am and sat on the ground, many braving the sun for hours in temperatures as high as 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).

Many people sheltered under umbrellas decorated in the white and yellow colours of the Vatican flag, while others sang local melodies, carried signs asking for blessings and shouted in joy as Francis arrived.

Reverend Pedro Amaral, one of hundreds of priests celebrating the Mass, said he came with 800 of his parishioners from Zumalai, a village about 140km (85 miles) away.

“I am so happy because we never thought we would see the pope,” said the priest.