Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Díli

Timor-Leste

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Díli / Dilien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Baucau, Maliana

Neighbouring Dioceses: Maliana (↙), Amboina (↗), Baucau (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculate Conception (December 8)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1940.09.04: Established as Diocese of Díli / Dilien(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Macau 澳門 and became suffragan of Goa and Daman)
1976.01.01: Without ecclesiastical province
1996.11.30: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Baucau
2010.01.30: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Maliana
2019.09.11: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Díli / Dilien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Baucau and Maliana)

Papal Visits

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2019.09.11 – ...):

Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, S.D.B. (58)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Alberto Magno

President of Episcopal Conference of Timor

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Díli (Roman Rite)

Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, S.D.B. (58)
(2019.09.11 – ...)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Alberto Magno
Metropolitan Archbishop of Díli (Timor-Leste)
President of Episcopal Conference of Timor

Ad Deum Patrem omnipotentem

Born:	1967.11.27 (Venilale, Timor-Leste)
Ordained Priest:	1998.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.03.19
Created Cardinal:	2022.08.27

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Timor (2016? – 2025.12.15)

Bishop of Díli (Timor-Leste) (2016.01.30 – 2019.09.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Díli (Timor-Leste) (2019.09.11 – ...)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Alberto Magno (2022.08.27 [2023.05.07] – ...)

President of Episcopal Conference of Timor (2025.12.15 – ...)

Bishops of Díli (Roman Rite)

Bishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, S.D.B. (58) (later Cardinal)
(2016.01.30 – 2019.09.11)

(see above)

Bishop Basílio do Nascimento
(Apostolic Administrator 2015.02.09 – 2016.01.30)

Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva
(2004.02.27 – 2015.02.09)

Servus verbi Domini

Born:	1943.04.24 (Aileu, Timor-Leste)
Ordained Priest:	1972.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.05.02
Died:	2015.04.02 († 71)

Priest of Díli (Timor-Leste) (1972.08.15 – 2004.02.27)

Bishop of Díli (Timor-Leste) (2004.02.27 – 2015.02.09)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Timor (2012.03 – 2015.04.02)

Bishop Basílio do Nascimento
(Apostolic Administrator 2002.11.26 – 2004.02.27)

Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, S.D.B. (78)
(Apostolic Administrator 1983 – 2002.11.26)

Msgr. Martinho da Costa Lopes
(Apostolic Administrator 1977 – 1983.05.12)

Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro
(1967.01.31 – 1977.10.22)

Christus heri et hodie

Born:	1918.02.04 (Degolados, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1940.08.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.04.27
Died:	2002.07.27 (Évora, Portugal † 84)

Auxiliary Bishop of Évora (Portugal) (1957.11.30 – 1965.07)

Titular Bishop of Ægeæ (1957.11.30 – 1967.01.31)

Coadjutor Bishop of Díli (Timor-Leste) (1965.07 – 1967.01.31)

Bishop of Díli (Timor-Leste) (1967.01.31 – 1977.10.22)

Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart
(1945.10.12 – 1967.01.31)

Born:	1908.01.10 (Candelária, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1931.05.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1945.10.28
Died:	1997.04.15 († 89)

Bishop of Díli (Timor-Leste) (1945.10.12 – 1967.01.31)

Titular Bishop of Trofimiana (1967.01.31 – 1971.01.27)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro (1965.07 – 1967.01.31)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nossa Senhora Imaculada Conceição, Díli, Díli

Churches by City (33)

Maliana (↙), Amboina (↗), Baucau (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 4,775 km²

Population: 740,250 Catholics (94.5% of 783,437 total)

Pastoral Centres: 33 parishes, 234 missions

Personnel: 214 priests (74 diocesan, 140 religious), 1 deacon, 1,024 religious (282 brothers, 742 sisters), 141 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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