To Rot, martyred in 1945 by Japanese forces occupying Papua New Guinea for his unwavering defense of Christian marriage and his refusal to abandon his faith
Newsroom (20/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a historic moment for Papua New Guinea, Peter To Rot, a lay catechist and martyr, was canonized yesterday in St. Peter’s Square by Pope Leo XIV alongside six other saints. For Archbishop Rochus Tatamai of Rabaul, the moment was profoundly personal. “Since I was a child, I understood that my life was linked to Peter To Rot,” the Archbishop told journalists, reflecting on his great-grandfather’s legacy. “My grandfather, Josef Tatamai, was Peter To Rot’s older brother.”
Archbishop Tatamai, a member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC), shared vivid childhood memories of visiting To Rot’s grave with his mother in the 1960s. “We would stop to pick flowers and place them on his grave with a prayer,” he recalled. Over time, he witnessed the growing devotion to To Rot in their community, where the catechist became a beacon of faith for those seeking his intercession. “I learned he was killed by the Japanese for his work and, above all, for defending the sacrament of marriage,” Tatamai said. “His figure has accompanied my journey of faith and my vocation as a priest.”
To Rot, martyred in 1945 during World War II, was executed by Japanese forces occupying Papua New Guinea for his unwavering defense of Christian marriage and his refusal to abandon his faith. “He was a martyr, now he is a saint, thank God,” Tatamai said. “He is a saint for the entire Church, a teacher of the faith, and a martyr of the sacrament of marriage.” The Archbishop emphasized To Rot’s enduring relevance, noting that Pope Francis, upon meeting the vice-postulator of To Rot’s canonization cause, declared, “I want him to be canonized because he is a saint the world needs today.”
To Rot’s story is remarkable not only for his sacrifice but for the rapid spread of Catholicism in Papua New Guinea. “To Rot was only a Christian for a generation,” Tatamai explained. “The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart arrived in Papua New Guinea in 1882, and To Rot’s parents were among the first to be baptized.” As a second-generation Catholic, To Rot’s holiness emerged from a fledgling Christian community. “My father was a third-generation Catholic, and I am a fourth,” Tatamai noted. “In such a short time, the Lord has given us the grace of a martyr and a saint.”
As a layman, husband, father, and catechist, To Rot’s life offers a relatable model of holiness, particularly in an era when marriage and family face challenges worldwide. “He is an ordinary baptized believer, a married man, a teacher,” Tatamai said. “It is all the easier to relate to him, aware that the call to holiness and mission affect everyone.”
The Archbishop also addressed the broader cultural context, decrying the “relativism” that dominates both Western and Eastern societies, where personal desires often overshadow absolute values. “To Rot teaches us that holiness is still a valid path today,” he said, framing the saint’s legacy as a “return of the faith” to the West. “The missionaries brought the Gospel to Papua New Guinea 150 years ago, and today, with To Rot, we are bringing it back. It is the cycle of mission.”
For Tatamai, To Rot’s canonization is a clarion call to uphold God’s plan for marriage and family, which he sees as foundational to society, politics, and the economy. “If we want a future in this world, we must return to God’s original plan for the family and the sacrament of marriage,” he concluded. “This is a key to the Church’s mission today.”
To Rot’s canonization marks a milestone for Papua New Guinea and the universal Church, offering a powerful witness to the sanctity of marriage and the enduring impact of a life lived for faith.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Agenzia Fides
Related Images:
