MIRACULOUS MIRACLES™

Saint — Peter Chanel, SM

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St. Peter Chanel, SM
July 12, 1803 AD, Cuet, Ain, French Republic — April 28, 1841 AD, Futuna Island (modern Wallis and Futuna) — killed by native warriors
French Marist missionary; protomartyr of Oceania (Futuna Islands)
Basilica of Poi, Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna — shrine, France (Overseas Territory)
Feast
April 28
Canonized
Canonized June 12, 1954 by Pope Pius XII
✠ MartyrClubbed to death on the island of Futuna → The Martyrs
Life

Peter (French Pierre-Louis-Marie) Chanel was born on July 12, 1803 at Cuet in the Ain department. Ordained priest in 1827, Peter entered the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers, founded 1836 by Bl. Jean-Claude Colin) in 1831.

In 1836, Peter volunteered for the Marist mission to Oceania — the first Marist mission to the Pacific Islands. In 1837, Peter arrived at Futuna Island in the Wallis and Futuna archipelago as Marist missionary.

For 4 years (1837–1841), Peter undertook the systematic evangelization of the Futunan population — learning the Futunan language and establishing the Catholic community.

On April 28, 1841, at the command of King Niuliki (Futunan king who feared the Catholic conversions were threatening his royal authority), Peter was killed by native warriors — the protomartyr of Oceania.

Peter's martyrdom institutionally accelerated the Futunan conversion: within 2 years of his martyrdom, the entire Futunan population was baptized. Futuna remains 99% Catholic to the present day.

Miracles & Phenomena

  • The protomartyr of Oceania

    St. Peter Chanel's martyrdom on April 28, 1841 at Futuna — the protomartyr of Oceania — established the 19th-century Catholic Pacific-mission tradition. The post-martyrdom conversion of the entire Futunan population underpinned the continuing Futunan Catholic identity (Futuna remains 99% Catholic to the present day).

Relics
  • Body
    Relics of St. Peter Chanel
    Basilica of Poi, Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna — shrine

    His relics rest at the Basilica of Poi at Futuna Island — Pacific Catholic pilgrim destination.

Iconography
  • Chanel killed at Futuna

    The young French Marist missionary being killed by Futunan warriors at Futuna Island on April 28, 1841 — the iconography of Catholic Pacific-mission protomartyr tradition.

Patronages
Oceania (patron of Oceania)Society of Mary (Marist Fathers)Wallis and Futuna and the French Polynesian Catholic tradition
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