Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo |
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Belo in 2016
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Lorium (titular see) |
| Appointed | 21 March 1988 |
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| Ordination | 26 July 1980 |
| Consecration | 19 June 1988 by Francesco Canalini |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 February 1948
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| Nationality | East Timorese |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Residence | Maputo, Mozambique |
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| Alma mater |
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| Motto | Caritas Veritatis-Veritas Caritatis |
| Signature |  |
| Styles of Carlos Ximenes Belo |
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| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, often called Carlos Belo, is an important religious leader from East Timor. He is a member of the Salesians, a Catholic group. He became a bishop in 1988. From 1988 to 2002, he was the main leader of the Catholic Church in Díli, East Timor. In 1996, he won the Nobel Peace Prize with José Ramos-Horta. They received the award for working to find a fair and peaceful solution to the conflict in East Timor.
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Early Life and Religious Journey
Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo was born on February 3, 1948. He was the fifth child of Domingos Vaz Filipe and Ermelinda Baptista Filipe. His birthplace was the village of Wailakama, near Vemasse, in what was then Portuguese Timor. His father, a schoolteacher, passed away when Carlos was only two years old.
Carlos attended Catholic schools in Baucau and Ossu. He then joined a seminary in Dare, near Dili, finishing in 1968. From 1969 to 1981, he studied philosophy. He studied at the Catholic University of Portugal and the Salesian Pontifical University. During this time, he also had practical training in East Timor and Macau.
Belo made his final promises to join the Salesian Society on October 6, 1974. He became a priest on July 26, 1980. He returned to East Timor in 1981. He became an Indonesian citizen, which was required after Indonesia had taken control of East Timor. For about 20 months, Belo taught at the Salesian College at Fatumaca. He later became the director there for two months.
Leading the Church in East Timor
In 1983, the previous church leader, Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, left his position. The role remained empty until Carlos Belo was chosen. On March 21, 1988, he was named the titular bishop of Lorium. He also became the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Dili. This made him the most senior Catholic Church official in East Timor.
On June 19, 1988, Archbishop Francesco Canalini officially made him a bishop. Belo chose a special motto for his work: Caritas Veritatis-Veritas Caritatis. This means "The Charity of Truth, the Truth of Charity."
Belo continued the work of his predecessor. Just five months after taking office, he spoke out against violence and arrests. He started reaching out to people overseas. He wanted to make sure the world knew about the difficult situation in East Timor.
In February 1989, he wrote letters to important leaders. These included the president of Portugal, the Pope, and the head of the United Nations. He asked the UN to help East Timor. He wanted them to oversee a vote on the future of the country. He also asked for international help for the people of East Timor. This request became public in April. He also helped young people who were escaping violence in 1991. He tried to show how many people were affected.
Nobel Peace Prize and Retirement
Carlos Belo's hard work for the people of East Timor was recognized. He worked for peace and understanding. On December 10, 1996, he received the Nobel Peace Prize. He shared this honor with José Ramos-Horta. Belo used this award to meet with many world leaders. These included US President Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela from South Africa.
East Timor became an independent country on May 20, 2002. After this, Belo went to Portugal for medical care. He said he was very tired, both physically and mentally. He needed a long time to recover. He and another bishop, Basílio do Nascimento, met with the Pope in October 2002.
Pope John Paul II accepted Belo's resignation on November 26, 2002. Bishop Nascimento took over his role. The Vatican said Belo retired at age 54 due to serious reasons or health problems.
Later Activities and Awards
After his retirement, Belo traveled to Portugal. He said he received medical treatment there.
By early 2004, many people wanted him to return to East Timor. They hoped he would run for president. However, in May 2004, he stated that he had "decided to leave politics to politicians."
In June 2004, Belo began working in the Diocese of Maputo in Mozambique. He described his new role as an "assistant parish priest." He said, "I do pastoral work by teaching catechism to children, giving retreats to young people. I have descended from the top to the bottom." He explained that he left Díli because the new political situation needed new leaders. He felt he could not lead the work of peace because of his past involvement in conflicts. He chose Mozambique because he already knew the language. He also talked with his Salesian superior and Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe about his move. He planned to stay for a year. As of 2024, he was still working as a priest in Mozambique.
Other Recognitions
- In 1995, he received the John Humphrey Freedom Award. This award is from a Canadian human rights group called Rights & Democracy.
- On August 3, 1988, he received the Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty from the government of Portugal.
- In 2004, he received an honorary doctorate from CEU Cardinal Herrera University.
- In 2010, he was named the Lusophonic Personality of the Year. This award came from the International Lusophone Movement in Lisbon.
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo para niños
- List of peace activists
External links
- [[Category:Nobel Prize in {{{1}}} winners]]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by Martinho da Costa Lopes |
Apostolic Administrator of Díli 1988–2002 |
Succeeded by Basílio do Nascimento |
