Motael is the oldest Catholic church in Timor-Leste, originally founded in 1877 and rebuilt several times since. The current cream-and-white facade dates from the 1950s, but the parish has been continuously active for nearly 150 years and remains the most prominent church in central Dili after the cathedral.
The church sits on the seafront just west of the Government Palace, a short walk from Motael Beach. Mass is in Tetum, with services in Portuguese and English on Sundays. Step inside even outside of service times — the interior is plain, cool, and worth a few minutes after the heat of the street.