Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Conferenza Episcopale Papua Nuova Guinea e Isole Salomone
Port Moresby (Agenzia Fides) – In his right hand, the Holy Bible, in his left, his wedding rings. Around his neck, the catechist's cross. These three symbols mark the new official portrait of Peter To Rot, Papua New Guinea's first saint, who will be canonized by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, October 19. The image, which will soon be transformed into a tapestry and hung on the façade of St. Peter's Basilica on the day of the canonization, was created by the Spanish painter Raúl Berzosa Fernández and commissioned by Father Tomas Ravaioli, missionary of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) and vice-postulator of the Cause of Canonization. It was presented to the Papuan faithful in recent days.
The portrait, explains the Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, "is a faithful representation of the young catechist." It is based "on the only known photograph of To Rot" and brings together in a single image the story of the catechist and martyr. A catechist who, as Father Ravaioli told Fides, "is a compass to guide one's life" in these times "when marriage and the family are under multiple attacks and suffer all kinds of distortions" (see Fides, 13/6/2025).
The wedding rings in his left hand symbolize his commitment to protecting Catholic marriage: To Rot was arrested and subsequently martyred for speaking out against polygamy and defending the sacramental union between man and woman. The Bible he holds in his right hand underscores To Rot's devotion to the Word of God: nourished daily by Sacred Scripture and the Eucharist, he drew strength from these sources to face persecution.
The catechist's cross, which he wears around his neck and is placed in the center of his chest, is the symbol of his unwavering faith. During the war, many catechists hid these crosses for fear of reprisals from the Japanese who occupied the island. To Rot, on the other hand, wore it with pride and asked that the crucifix be brought to him from his house before his execution. His parting words to his wife, Paula, were: "Bring me the catechist's crucifix that we have at home."
The decision to commission Raúl Berzosa Fernández, contemporary master of realism, to create the saint's portrait was not only due to his reputation, according to the Bishops' Conference: The artist is "known worldwide for his religious works that adorn churches on every continent. With his reputation for vibrant naturalism and deeply spiritual compositions, Berzosa pays tribute to To Rot's love for Christ in his latest work." (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 5/9/2025)
