600,000 people attend pope's mass in East Timor

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 10 - Local authorities in East Timor estimate that some 600,000 pilgrims attended the mass celebrated by Pope Francis in Taci Tolu, a protected area on the coast near the capital Dili, the Holy See said on Tuesday. After the mass, the pontiff bid farewell to the pilgrims by driving through the area, where Pope John Paul II also celebrated mass in 1989, on his popemobile.
    During his homily, Pope Francis said the country "is beautiful because there are many children.
    "You are a young country where you can feel life beating, exploding in every corner.
    "And this is a great gift: the presence of so many youths and many children, in fact, constantly renews the freshness, energy, joy and enthusiasm of your people", the pontiff noted. The pope's visit to East Timor is part of a 12-day, four-country tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania - the longest trip of his pontificate. (ANSA).