Dili, May 3, 2018 — Thomas Ora / ucanews.com
Undaunted by its fledgling economy and tiny stature, Timor-Leste has started to develop religious tourism to give the fragile country a much-needed boost and help promote devotion to Catholicism across the region. Similar initiatives have been rolled out in the Philippines, another Catholic-majority country in Southeast Asia.
The First Official Pilgrimage
The Timor-Leste Church launched the campaign on April 19 in conjunction with the government by welcoming its first official batch of 28 religious tourists under the scheme. Members included Manuel Vong, Timor-Leste’s tourism minister, as well as catechists, leaders from various parishes and a chaplain.
The group made a pilgrimage to key religious sites in the coastal enclave of Oecusse District from April 20–24.
Etelvina Pinto, 60, who has worked for the last 35 years as a catechist at St. Anthony Church in Dili, said he had previously only heard about Oecusse but had never had the opportunity to visit.
“It’s amazing. At my old age I just feel blessed to be able to see the sites and relics with my own eyes. I hope more people, particularly young people, will come to these places so they can stay closer to God.”
Rui Manuel, 32, a member of the lay group Missionaries for Jesus Christ, said now is the right time for the government to capitalise on religious tourism. “This kind of spiritual pilgrimage further strengthens my devotion,” he said.
Luis Barreto, 50, chairman of the St. Therese of the Child Jesus parish council in Bedois, described the three-day spiritual trek as almost as awe-inspiring as a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He said the religious sites in Oecusse carry the same sacred ambiance as those he visited in Israel in 2013 — the key difference being that Jerusalem’s sites are featured in the Bible and widely known.
“I hope the government will also pay attention to religious sites in other districts, too,” he added.
Historic Heritage of Oecusse
The first Portuguese missionaries arrived in Lifau in 1515, 500 years before the district was reinvented as the Special Economic Zone of Oecusse. Much of this heritage has been preserved, including:
- Gothic churches built in the Portuguese style of the 16th century
- A relic of St. Anthony
- The lying statue of Jesus (Senhor de Morto) — open for public veneration on Good Friday only
- Marian pilgrim sites
Lifau is in Oecusse, which borders the cities of Atambua and Kefamenanu in West Timor. After Indonesia relinquished control of Timor-Leste in 1999, the country emerged as a sovereign state in May 2002 and joined the United Nations.
Economic Case for Religious Tourism
Fernando Baptista Nuno, dean of the Faculty of Economics at the National University of Timor Lorosae, said developing tourism is part of the government’s strategic plan (2011–2030) to create diversified economic growth from non-oil and gas sectors.
“It’s good that the government has started to make tourism a priority. Since the country’s independence, the state budget heavily depends on oil and gas,” Nuno told ucanews.com.
The economic benefits extend beyond hotel stays:
- Visitors buying unique crafts and local products boost community income
- Tourism creates demand for foreign-language skills, enabling young people to work as guides
- New jobs are created across hospitality, transport and retail
There are currently four hotels and 20 inns in Oecusse that stand to benefit from this development. Alda Lay, owner of the Inay Sakato Hotel, noted that visitor numbers are currently low compared to before 2012 when UN staff regularly visited the area. “We hope that by giving priority to the tourism sector, it will reinvigorate the sector and help local people,” she said.
International Tour Packages
Father Angelo Salsinha, coordinator of the trip to Oecusse, said the church has identified dozens of religious tourism destinations, with the goal of preserving local culture and history as well as boosting the economy.
“Many foreign tourists from countries like Australia, Portugal, India, Japan, Korea and Indonesia have expressed eagerness to visit Timor-Leste,” he said.
Pilgrimages to Oecusse are set to be officially launched for international groups in August, offered in two packages:
| Package | Duration |
|---|---|
| Standard pilgrimage | 12 days |
| Extended pilgrimage | 18 days |
Both packages are managed by Christour Timor, a subsidiary of Jakarta-based Christour. Robert Pangaribuan, who heads Christour Timor, said the group is ready to cooperate with the government and local churches. Since 2013 he has organised around 200 Timorese pilgrims to visit the Vatican, Jerusalem, Israel and Fatima, with each trip averaging $3,000 per person.
Foreign tourists visiting Timor-Leste currently spend an average of US$800–$1,500 per person, covering hotel, meals and transportation. “This will greatly help improve the country’s revenue,” Pangaribuan said.
Church and Government Collaboration
Bishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Dili said it is time for the church and government to unite and develop forms of religious tourism that are rich not only spiritually but also in social, economic, cultural and historical value.
“Sacred places are not only bringing people closer to God. They also have economic and cultural values,” the bishop said.
He asked parish priests in Dili Diocese to work closely with communities maintaining these sites — keeping them clean and creating an atmosphere that gives pilgrims peace of mind.
Father Albino Marques, parish priest of St. Anthony Church in Oecusse, confirmed the parish has prepared accommodation for tourists. “The local church will collaborate with the government to maintain the sites,” he said.
Tourism Minister Vong added that the government plans to build public housing with decent rooms and toilets around the sites, giving tourists the opportunity to stay and mingle with Timorese families. “The goal is to improve the people’s economy,” he said.
Inacia da Conceicao Teixeira, regional secretary for community tourism, noted her team has also trained communities in handicraft production such as basket weaving, and has prepared a group of 15 young people to serve as tourist guides.
Antonio de Carvalo, a local village leader from Beneufe Citrana — home to one of the prized relics — called on the government to fix local roads and build clean water facilities to support the growing number of visitors.