PORT MORESBY (LiCAS News): Just a week after his canonisation in Rome by Pope Leo XIV on October 19, 7,000 faithful filled the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on October 26 for a national thanksgiving Mass in honour of Saint Peter To Rot—the nation’s first saint.
“Peter To Rot now stands among the saints, living proof that holiness is possible in any corner of the world,” said Salesian Father Ambrose Pereira, a parish priest in Sabama and a long-time communicator, on November 4.
“He is now part of the cloud of witnesses, cheering us on as we walk our own journey of faith,” the priest added.
St. Peter To Rot, a humble catechist, husband, and father, was martyred in 1945 for defending Christian marriage during the Japanese occupation in World War II.
The Mass was presided over by John Cardinal Ribat, archbishop of Port Moresby, joined by Archbishop Maurizio Bravi, apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, Bishop Józef Roszyński of Wewak, Bishop Otto Separy of Bereina, and Bishop Dariusz Kałuża of Bougainville among the concelebrants.
Seven Salesian priests from Port Moresby also joined, invoking St. Peter To Rot’s intercession “for peace and the strengthening of family values” across their communities.
After the Mass, a Catholic Expo gathered religious congregations, ministries, and lay organisations to share their charisms, promote vocations, and deepen faith. Food stalls with local produce turned the gathering into a celebration of faith and culture.
The event was organised by the Catholic Professionals Society and the Archdiocese of Port Moresby, with support from the National Capital District Commission under the governor, Powes Parkop.
In his homily, Bishop Roszyński described St. Peter To Rot as “a powerful testament to living one’s faith with integrity in the face of adversity.”
The bishop reminded the faithful that the martyred catechist “placed God above all human demands, even at the cost of his life,” becoming not only a saint for Papua New Guinea but “a saint and martyr for the entire world, the first indigenous saint of the Pacific.”
St. Peter To Rot, a humble catechist, husband, and father, was martyred in 1945 for defending Christian marriage during the Japanese occupation in World War II
Bishop Roszyński linked the celebration to the Jubilee Year and Papua New Guinea’s 50th anniversary.
“Despite our 800 tribes, we have been united as one nation,” he said. “We learn from our failures, progress through our faith, and thank God for our people, languages, cultures, and natural resources. St. Peter To Rot is a light emerging from the Pacific, inspiring us to live holy lives.”
He recalled Pope St. John Paul II’s words during his 1995 visit, calling the new saint “a beacon shining bright—a signal fire leading you to hold aloft the noble ideals which inspired him: faith in God, love of family, service of neighbour, and unswerving courage in the face of trials and sacrifice.”
In his thanksgiving message, Cardinal Ribat expressed joy for “the many blessings” the Church in Papua New Guinea has received. “There are over two million Catholic faithful in our country,” he said.
“We have grown from a missionary Church to a local Church recognised by the universal Church—first with the appointment of a cardinal in 2016, and now with the canonisation of St. Peter To Rot,” the cardinal added.
He recalled the sacrifices of early missionaries—the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, the Marists, and the Society of the Divine Word—who established mission centres, schools, and hospitals that shaped the nation’s faith and future.
Cardinal Ribat also highlighted the vitality of religious vocations and the laity, noting that the canonisation “offers us an opportunity to renew our appreciation for the vital contribution of the laity in the Church.”
Powes Parkop, the governor, praised the Catholic Church’s ongoing contribution to education, health, and social development, thanking religious congregations “for their service to the young, the needy, and the disadvantaged.”
“St. Peter To Rot reminds us that holiness begins in the home, in service, and in courage,” said Father Pereira. “Let’s make it our plan too—to stay close to Jesus every step of the way.”
