Port Moresby: The Catholic community in Papua New Guinea is preparing for a historic and deeply spiritual moment: the canonization of Blessed Peter To Rot this October in Rome. The declaration will make him the nation’s first saint, a milestone that local faithful see not only as a gift to their country but also as a sign of the universal call to holiness.
Fr. Tomas Ravaioli, IVE, an Argentine missionary who has served in Papua New Guinea for 15 years and currently serves as vice postulator for the cause, described the upcoming canonization as “a last present from Pope Francis to our beloved country.” The Pontiff, during his 2024 visit to Papua New Guinea, had publicly expressed his desire to advance the cause. By March 2025, he had signed the decree, opening the way for canonization.
Born in 1912 in Rakunai village as the son of a local chief, Peter To Rot lived a life that was outwardly ordinary yet inwardly extraordinary. A husband and father of three, he worked as a catechist and assumed greater responsibility during World War II, when missionaries were imprisoned under Japanese occupation. Despite the ban on Christian practices, he courageously continued to teach the faith, prepare couples for marriage, minister to the sick, and secretly distribute the Eucharist often walking hours across villages to serve hidden communities.
In 1945, Peter was arrested and later martyred for opposing the reintroduction of polygamy under Japanese authority. “He was like John the Baptist,” said Fr. Ravaioli. “He defended the sanctity of marriage and gave his life for the truth.” He was just 33 years old at the time of his death.
Pope Francis has described Peter To Rot as “the kind of saint the Church needs today.” Unlike many canonized saints, he was not a priest or religious but a layman who lived holiness through his marriage, fatherhood, and everyday commitments. His life, Church leaders affirm, testifies that sainthood is possible in every vocation.
At a time when marriage and family face increasing cultural pressures, Peter’s witness has become a global message. “His fidelity to one man, one woman, faithful until death, affirms God’s plan for the family,” explained Fr. Ravaioli.
Peter To Rot was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995. However, his cause for canonization stalled until 2020, when Fr. Ravaioli began working to revive the process in Rome. Much of the documentation relied on oral traditions in Papua New Guinea, requiring careful verification of testimonies and stories of miracles attributed to his intercession. “It was long and delicate work, but I always found open doors. It felt like the Church was waiting for this moment,” he recalled.
In anticipation of October’s canonization, the faithful are not only organizing celebrations but also embracing a deeper spiritual renewal. Pilgrimages, prayer gatherings, and confessions have increased, with many people turning to Peter To Rot’s intercession. A new portrait of the martyr, painted by Spanish artist Raúl Sosa, will be unveiled at the canonization ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica. Alongside it, relics of Peter two of his fingers will be presented: one kept in Rome, and the other returning to Rakunai, his home village.
For Fr. Ravaioli, what shines most is Peter’s devotion to the Eucharist. “Even under threat of death, he risked his life to bring Holy Communion to others. That witness has deepened my own love for the Eucharist,” he shared. The catechist’s final words to his wife before his death remain a testimony of faith: “This is not my work, but God’s work. I cannot deny my faith.”
As the canonization approaches, Papua New Guinea’s Catholics recognize that their first saint belongs not only to their nation but to the entire Church. Blessed Peter To Rot’s life of quiet courage and unwavering faith shows that holiness is not reserved for the extraordinary but can flourish in the ordinary lives of husbands, wives, parents, and workers. His canonization, Fr. Ravaioli said, is both “a national joy and a universal gift.”