Catholics in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands gathered in Rabaul from Dec. 11 to 14 to give thanks for the canonization of Saint Peter To Rot.
The four-day observance included visits to key sites linked to To Rot’s life and a solemn Mass presided over by Cardinal John Ribat, the Fides News Agency reported.
Saint Peter To Rot was canonized on Oct. 19 at St. Peter’s Basilica by Pope Leo XIV.
During the celebrations, Cardinal Ribat described the newly canonized saint as “a gift for the Church in Papua New Guinea and for the whole world.”
The cardinal said the local Church received the canonization “with joy and as a moment of abundant blessing, which our saint bestows today upon the people of Papua New Guinea.”
“His presence represents for us the witness of being part of a history of holiness that permeates our land and the entire world,” Ribat said. “Now we too are a grain of sand in the history of holiness and salvation that the Lord is writing.”
Ribat placed To Rot’s life within the broader history of Christianity in the country, noting that faith in Papua New Guinea “is the fruit of the work of the missionaries who have led us to Jesus Christ.”
He recalled that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart arrived in Rabaul in 1882, after their founder, Father Jules Chevalier, accepted Pope Leo XIII’s call to evangelize Melanesia and Micronesia.
“Now, more than a hundred years later,” the cardinal said, “another Pope Leo, in perfect continuity, has recognized one of our saints: for us in Papua New Guinea, this is a historic milestone that tells us that God has done great things for us. We feel encouraged and blessed.”
The cardinal underscored the continuing relevance of Saint Peter To Rot’s witness, particularly for families.
“He reminds us that faith is lived in the family: he was a father and, as a catechist, he understood God’s command to remain faithful to the Lord and to keep the family and the community united during a difficult time in the Pacific,” Ribat said.
“His story speaks to families today, in our context: let God be a part of your life,” he added. “Even though the world changes, God’s truth for us remains the same: his love and his salvation.”
Ribat described the saint as a model of perseverance under persecution. “To Rot was faithful to the end, a credible and authentic witness,” he said.
The cardinal said the Church in Papua New Guinea, now numbering about 2.5 million Catholics, continues to carry forward the saint’s legacy through its work in education and health, contributing to the human, moral, social, and spiritual development of the country.
