The new official portrait of PNG’s first canonised Saint: Peter To·Rot
Saturday October 11, 2025
A new portrait of Blessed Peter To·Rot has been unveiled this weekend. The work, created by internationally renowned Spanish artist Raul Bersoza Fernandez, will be used during the canonization ceremony in Rome on October 19. At beatifications and canonisations, it is customary to display an image of the new blessed or saint on the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica, in the Vatican, so that the faithful may see the face of these brothers and sisters who have reached eternal glory and now intercede for us. The portrait of Peter To·Rot was commissioned by the Vice-Postulator of the Cause, Fr. Tomas Ravaioli, IVE, who is currently Director of the Liturgical Catechetical Institute.
The artist is a Spanish painter known for his realistic style and religious themes. He has produced works for Popes Benedict XVI and Francis, and his paintings can be found in churches across five continents. He specializes in theological art, often depicting biblical scenes from both the Old and New Testaments with striking naturalism. Today, he is considered one of the world’s leading religious painters and has received awards and recognition in many countries.
Key details of To·Rot’s painting include:
– The face. Only one photograph of Peter To·Rot exists, and the artist based his work on that image. Since the photo is not widely known, some may find the portrait unfamiliar; however, this is most likely exactly how To·Rot looked.
– The Bible in his right hand. The Bible is the living Word of God, through which He reveals His will. As St. Jerome, an early Father of the Church, once said: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Scripture and the Eucharist were the daily nourishment that sustained To·Rot and gave him strength to face martyrdom.
– The wedding rings on his left hand. To·Rot gave his life defending God’s original plan for marriage and family: the faithful union of one man and one woman, lasting until death. The rings symbolize this divine design for marriage and family: faithfulness until the end.
– The catechist’s cross. The cross of the catechist appears both on his chest and on his laplap. Witnesses recall that during the war many catechists hid these crosses for fear of being identified by the Japanese. To·Rot, however, was always proud to show himself as a faithful servant and never concealed his cross. On the contrary, when he was imprisoned—on the day before his martyrdom, fully aware of what awaited him—he said to his young wife Paula: “Bring me the catechist’s crucifix from home.” To·Rot wished to die with the cross upon his chest.
Without a doubt, the face of Peter To·Rot will become the most widely recognized face from Papua New Guinea around the world, and we should be proud that a son of our land has gained such renown through his fidelity to Christ.
