Pope Francis was welcomed to East Timor in a ceremony with President Jose Ramos-Horta on Monday, September 9, hours after arriving in the predominantly Catholic Southeast Asian nation. Francis was greeted by cheering crowds at the presidential palace, where he also greeted the nation's prime minister Xanana Gusmao and was presented with a ceremonial scarf by youths in traditional attire. The 87-year-old pontiff is on an ambitious 12-day visit to four countries across Southeast Asia and Oceania,