Catholics in Papua New Guinea feel they are living a historic moment. This October, the Catholic Church will canonize Blessed Peter To Rot, making him the nation’s first saint. The postulator for his cause sheds light on the saint and his story.
In an interview with Vatican News, Fr. Tomas Ravaioli, IVE, an Argentine missionary and the vice postulator of the canonization of Peter To Rot, serving in Papua New Guinea for 15 years, shares his insights on the significance of the canonization of the nation’s first saint and the faith journey of Peter To Rot.
“The people here are very, very excited,” said Fr. Ravaioli, “It all happened so fast it feels like a gift, the last present of Pope Francis to our beloved country.”
Pope Francis visited Papua New Guinea in September 2024 and expressed his desire to canonize Peter To Rot. In March 2025, he signed the decree, paving the way for the October ceremony in Rome.
“This canonization is not only new but also historic,” Fr. Ravaioli explained. “Papua New Guinea has never had a canonized saint. Next month, we will have our first.”
Who was Blessed Peter To Rot?
Peter To Rot was born in 1912, the son of a village chief. He was a husband and father of three children, a humble catechist, living an ordinary life deeply rooted in faith. Trained as a catechist, he assumed pastoral responsibilities when missionaries were imprisoned during World War II.
Despite Japanese restrictions on Christian practices, Peter secretly organized catechism classes, prepared couples for marriage, taught children, visited the sick, and distributed Holy Communion across villages, often walking for 5-6 hours to reach them.
He offered himself for the service of the church, and in 1945, he was arrested and martyred for opposing polygamy, following an order executed by the Japanese authorities that wanted to reintroduce the practice. His defense of Christian marriage and morality cost him his life at just 33 years old.
“To Rot was like John the Baptist,” said Fr. Ravioli. “He openly told people that it was not lawful to take multiple wives. For this, he was imprisoned and eventually killed. “He defended the sanctity of marriage and died for the truth.”
Fr Ravaioli in Papua New Guinea with relatives of the Blessed Peter To Rot (© Fr. Tomas Ravaioli IVE)
A saint for today’s church
Pope Francis once described Peter To Rot as “the kind of saint the Church needs today.” Unlike many canonized saints, Peter was not a priest, bishop, or religious. He was a layman, a husband, and a father.
“His witness reminds us that holiness is possible in every state of life,” Fr. Ravaioli explained. “You can become a saint as a married person, in your daily work. Holiness is a universal call.”
In particular, To Rot stands as a champion of marriage and family life. “At a time when marriage is constantly under attack,” said Fr. Ravaioli, “To Rot’s life affirms God’s plan for marriage: one man and one woman, faithful until death.”
The journey to canonization.
Peter To Rot was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995. The cause for his canonization had stalled until 2020, when Fr. Ravaioli was appointed as vice postulator and travelled to Rome to reopen the process. “No one was actively working on the cause anymore,” he said. “We had to start again, collecting documentation, testimonies, and evidence.”
One of the greatest challenges was the oral culture of Papua New Guinea. “Many stories of miracles and intercessions were passed down by word of mouth,” he explained. “People remembered extraordinary healings but often forgot the year or details. It took years of work to properly document everything.”
The costs, of this process turned out to be surprisingly smooth. “The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints was very generous with us,” said Fr. Ravioli. “I only found open doors, a sign that it was truly his time.”
The spiritual canonization symbols
“People are not just preparing outwardly with feasts and celebrations,” Fr. Ravaioli emphasized. “They are preparing internally. You see people praying through the intercession of blessed Peter To Rot, going for confession, and seeking reconciliation. It’s inspiring.” The upcoming canonization has only intensified this dedication.
A new portrait of Blessed Peter To Rot has been commissioned from Spanish artist Raúl Sosa. “His art doesn’t just show faces,” said Fr. Ravaioli. “It invites you to pray. That’s why I chose him to help people not only see To Rot, but also pray through him.”
During the canonization ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica, the portrait will be displayed, and relics of Peter To Rot’s – two of his fingers – will be presented. One will remain in Rome, while the other will return to Papua New Guinea, kept in a shrine at his home village of Rakunai.
Fr Ravaioli with relatives of the Blessed Peter To Rot (© Fr. Tomas Ravaioli IVE)
A personal inspiration
For Fr. Ravaioli, Peter To Rot’s Eucharistic devotion is what stands out most. He said that, “since childhood, he was in love with Jesus in the Eucharist and even under the threat of death, he risked his life to bring Holy Communion to others, this has made my love for the eucharist to increase too.” Fr Tomas reiterates that, “the night before he died, his wife begged him to think of their children,” To Rot answered, “this is not my work, but God’s work. I cannot deny my faith.”
This testimony, Fr. Ravaioli says, shapes his own mission. “he reminds me to encourage families, to call people to prayer, and to place the Eucharist at the center. He was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things because of his faith.”
Blessed Peter To Rot’s witness extends far beyond the Pacific. His life is a message for the universal Church that holiness is possible for everyone, everywhere. His story is not only Papua New Guinea’s pride but also a gift for the global Church – a layman, husband, father, and catechist who shows that sanctity can be lived in everyday life.
