First Papua New Guinean saint and Martyr (1912–1945)
Peter To Rot was a Papua New Guinean Catholic who was canonized for his continued practice of Catholicism in the face of Japanese repression during World War II. He served as a catechist in his village and was entrusted with the leadership of the local parish during World War II when Imperial Japanese forces occupied the region and imprisoned Catholic missionaries. In response to Japanese oppression of his community, he publicly opposed their actions and continued to hold secret prayer services after the Japanese restricted him from active pastoral service. To Rot married in 1936, and he criticized Japanese attempts to encourage his people to return to the pre-Christian practice of taking multiple wives. He was executed by the Japanese in 1945.
