Virgílio do Carmo da Silva

Virgílio do Carmo da Silva SDB (born 27 November 1967) is an East Timorese Roman Catholic prelate who was appointed Bishop of Dili on 30 January 2016. He became an archbishop when the diocese was elevated in 2019.

In this article, the surname is do Carmo da Silva, not da Silva.
His Eminence

Virgílio do Carmo da Silva

SDB
Archbishop of Díli
SeeDíli
Installed11 September 2019
PredecessorAlberto Ricardo da Silva as bishop
Orders
Ordination18 December 1998
Consecration19 March 2016
by Joseph Marino
Created cardinal27 August 2022
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal-Priest of Sant'Alberto Magno
Personal details
Born (1967-11-27) 27 November 1967
Venilale, Portuguese Timor
NationalityEast Timorese
DenominationRoman Catholic
Previous post(s)Bishop of Dili (2016–2019)
Alma materSalesian Pontifical University
MottoCaritas Christi urget nos
'The love of Christ inspires us'
Styles of
Virgílio do Carmo da Silva
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal

On 27 August 2022, Pope Francis announced he would make him a cardinal, the first from East Timor.[1]

Biography

Virgílio do Carmo da Silva was born on 27 November 1967 in Venilale.[2] He was the son of José do Carmo and Isabel da Silva.[3] After attending Salesian primary and secondary schools in Fatumaca, he joined the Salesians of Don Bosco on 31 May 1990.[2] He then studied in the Philippines, philosophy in Canlubang and theology in Parañaque.[3] On 19 March 1997, he made his perpetual profession and he was ordained a priest on 18 December 1998[2] in Parañaque.[3]

From 1999 to 2004 and again 2007 to 2014 da Silva was novice master for the Salesians. From 2005 he studied in Rome for a licentiate in spirituality at the Salesian Pontifical University. From 2009 to 2014 he was director of the Technical School of Nossa Senhora de Fátima in Fatumaca. In 2015 he became provincial superior of the Salesians in East Timor and Indonesia.[2]

On 30 January 2016, Pope Francis appointed him bishop of Díli.[2] He replaced Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva, who died of brain cancer the previous April.[4] He received his episcopal consecration on 19 March from Archbishop Joseph Marino, Apostolic Nuncio to East Timor, assisted by Bishops Basílio do Nascimento of Baucau and Norberto do Amaral of Maliana.[5] Government officials, including President Taur Matan Ruak, sent congratulations, marking the end of years of contentious relations between the government and religious leaders.[6]

Launching a pilgrimage to key religious sites in East Timor in 2018, do Carmo da Silva said "it is time for the church and government to unite and develop forms of religious tourism that are rich not only on the spiritual side but also in social, economic, cultural and historical aspects." The country has started to develop religious tourism to give the fragile economy a much-needed boost.[7]

In May 2018, police in Díli were placed on high alert after learning of potential attacks by Islamic extremists on churches as well as do Carmo da Silva, after the recent elections in the country.[8]

On 11 September 2019, Pope Francis created the ecclesiastical province of Díli, making Díli a metropolitan archdiocese, and appointed do Carmo da Silva as Timor-Leste's first archbishop.[9][10]

On 29 May 2022, Pope Francis announced he would make do Carmo da Silva a cardinal.[11] On 27 August, Pope Francis made him a cardinal priest, assigning him the title of Sant'Alberto Magno.[12]

That week he told an interviewer that East Timor having a Catholic majority had eased reconciliation with Indonesia when East Timor won its independence in 2002. He praised East Timor's endorsement earlier in 2022 of the Document on Human Fraternity signed by Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayeb in 2019. He noted the country's efforts to promote religious tourism include representatives of other religions, that there was already a large mosque in Dili and a large Hindu temple is under construction.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Presidente timorense saúda nomeação de primeiro cardeal do país". RTP (in Portuguese). 30 May 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  2. "Rinunce e nomine, 30.01.2016" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  3. "Government congratulates Dom Virgílio do Carmo da Silva on his elevation to Cardinal" (Press release). Government of Timor-Leste. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  4. "Pope Francis names new bishop in Timor-Leste". UCANews. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  5. "East Timor - Episcopal ordination of the Salesian Virgilio do Carmo da Silva". Agenzia Info Salesiana. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  6. Berlie, Jean A., ed. (2017). "Independence: Political Events in 2006, 2008, and 2015". East Timor's Independence, Indonesia and ASEAN. Springer International. p. 38. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  7. Ora, Thomas (3 May 2018). "Timor-Leste turns to religious tourism to boost economy". UCANews. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  8. Sainsbury, Michael (24 May 2018). "Terrorist fears spread to Timor-Leste as bishop threatened". UCANews. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  9. "Resignations and Appointments, 11.09.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  10. Ora, Thomas (12 September 2019). "Timor-Leste's first archbishop aims to unite faithful". UCANews. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  11. D'Emilio, Francis (30 May 2022). "Pope names 21 new cardinals, from Asia, Africa, elsewhere". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  12. "Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali" [Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals]. The Holy See (in Italian). Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice. 27 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. "Cardinal says tiny East Timor, in shadow of Muslim giant, is laboratory of tolerance". Crux (Interview). Interviewed by Elise Ann Allen. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
Additional sources
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