Biography
Peter To Rot was born in the small village of Rakunai in 1912, just thirty years after the first missionaries arrived on what is now the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea. His father, Angelo To Puia, a respected tribal chief, and his mother, Maria Ia Tumul, were both baptized as adults and became part of the very first generation of Christians in the land. Peter was the third of six children born to this union.
In the early 1930s, at just eighteen years old, Peter entered the catechist training school. He returned home in early 1933 to begin his ministry, taking on the role of catechist at the age of twenty-one. By 1936, after only three years of dedicated service, Peter To Rot had already won the hearts and deep respect of everyone in Rakunai and the surrounding villages.
On November 11, 1936, he received the sacrament of marriage in the parish church of Rakunai, uniting with Paula Ia Varpit. Together they had three children.
In 1942, when the Japanese invaded part of what is now Papua New Guinea, one of their first actions was to imprison all foreign missionaries. With no priests left (as there was still no local clergy), thousands of faithful in New Britain found themselves without shepherds to guide them or protect their faith. In that critical moment, the young catechist —then only thirty years old— rose like a giant of faith. He took it upon himself to keep hope and belief alive among his people.
Despite the Japanese ban on religious practices, Peter To Rot carried out an exemplary apostolate in his village and neighboring communities, especially as many other catechists had abandoned their ministry out of fear. Completely devoted to his mission, he spent his days visiting the sick, baptizing children, praying with the community, preparing couples for marriage, burying the dead, and secretly distributing Holy Communion.
He would often walk five or six hours through dangerous territory, risking his life, to reach the prison where the missionaries were held and receive consecrated hosts, which he then distributed clandestinely throughout the villages.
By June 1944, the Japanese knew their defeat was inevitable. In a desperate attempt to win the favor of village chiefs, they legalized traditional polygamy —a practice previously forbidden by the Catholic Church and the colonial government— for those who cooperated with them. Sadly, the vast majority of tribal leaders accepted the offer, and polygamy began to spread once again.
Peter To Rot's response was unwavering and courageous. From the very beginning, he openly denounced polygamy as an unacceptable pagan practice for Christians. He used every means at his disposal to encourage Catholics to resist it. He knew that holding firm could cost him his freedom —and even his life— but he could not remain silent in the face of such a grave threat. He taught with conviction that marriage, by its very nature, demands indissolubility and lifelong unity between one man and one woman.
In this new and dangerous climate, Peter To Rot was ready to fight with all his strength and, if necessary, offer his life as the ultimate tribute to God. Because of his bold preaching and his firm defense of God's law and the sanctity of marriage, he drew the hatred of many local men and Japanese authorities driven by lust. Among them were policemen, soldiers, and powerful figures who had the power to silence him forever.
Indeed, Peter To Rot was arrested and threatened on several occasions. He was always pressured to abandon his apostolate and accept the immoral practices being promoted. He was imprisoned for the final time in April or June of 1945. From the moment of his arrest, he was convinced he would die in prison.
The day before he was killed, one of the village leaders had the chance to see him one last time. It was then that he heard these clear and beautiful words from Peter's lips:
“I am here for those who break their marriage vows and for those who do not want God's work to continue. Enough. I must die. You go back and take care of the people. They have already condemned me to death.”
His wife, Paula Ia Varpit, also recalled their final meeting:
“I asked Peter To Rot to stop his pastoral work only once. It was on the day of his death, during my last visit to him in prison. I had never asked him before, because I knew —given his deep faith, strong character, and determination— that he would refuse. When I begged him, his answer was: "Do not stop me from doing my work. It is God's work."”
On the night of July 7, 1945, two Japanese doctors entered the catechist's cell. One of them gave him an injection and told him to lie down. A short time later, Peter began to struggle and seemed to want to vomit. The doctor covered his mouth and held him down until he drew his last breath.
He was beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II on January 17, 1995, and solemnly canonized by Pope Leo XIV on October 19, 2025. His mortal remains rest today in the church of Rakunai, the beloved village where he was born and offered his life for Christ.