Archbishop Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, SDB, of Dili, Timor-Leste (East Timor), expressed surprise at the Pope’s decision to include him on the list of new cardinals.

“I am convinced that Pope Francis did not offer this to me, Virgilio, but rather to the Church and the people of Timor-Leste,” the 54-year-old prelate said.

Timor-Leste (map), a Southeast Asian nation of 1.4 million, is 88% Christian (83% Catholic), 7% ethnic religionist, and 4% Muslim.