Thousands celebrate across the country and in Rome after Pope Leo canonised Peter ToRot in what the prime minister called a ‘historic moment of pride, faith and inspiration’
Papua New Guinea celebrated a historic moment of “national pride” as the country’s first saint was canonised, with joyful services in churches and communities across the Pacific nation.
Peter ToRot was killed in prison in 1945 for standing up for monogamous marriage at a time when polygamy was practised. He was one of seven people canonised at a Mass in St Peter’s Square held by Pope Leo on Sunday, in a ceremony put in motion by Pope Francis in one of his final acts.
Many people travelled from Papua New Guinea to Rome, where tens of thousands of people attended the service on Sunday. Ceremonies were held across Papua New Guinea and thousands were believed to have attended services in the capital, Port Moresby.
In Rakunai village in the island of East New Britain, where ToRot was born, hundreds of people gathered at St Augustine parish and took part in a long weekend of church activities and celebrations.
