Peter Chanel

Peter Chanel (1803 - 1841) was a missionary, priest, and martyr in the Roman Catholic Church, where he is a saint and the first martyr of Oceania (the South Pacific).

Related Topics:
1803 - 1841 - Missionary - Priest - Martyr - Roman Catholic Church - Saint

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Chanel was born 12 July 1803 in Cuet, near Belley, France. His piety and intelligence attracted the attention of the local priest, and he was put into church-sponsored education. He followed this with seminary training and was ordained priest in 1827. Among his first assignments was a run-down parish, which he revitalized in three years.

Related Topics:
Belley - France - Seminary - 1827

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In 1831, he joined the new Society of Mary (the Marists), who concentrated on missionary work. Instead of being selected as a missionary, however, the Marists used his talents as a professor at the Seminary of Belley, where he stayed for five years. In 1836, the Marists were allowed to send missionaries to the territory of the South West Pacific. Chanel was made the superior of a band of Marist missionaries and they set out on 24 December 1836 from Le Harve. They were accompanied by Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier who was to become the first Bishop of New Zealand. Pompallier had been appointed by the Pope to care for the Vicariate Apostolic of Western Oceania.

Related Topics:
1831 - Society of Mary - 1836 - Bishop - New Zealand

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Travelling via Valparaiso and Tahiti the group first dropped two missionaries at Wallis Island, the island close to Futuna. Peter Chanel went to Futuna Island, accompanied by a French laybrother Marie Nizier and they were soon joined by an English protestant layman named Thomas Boag who had been resident on the island.

Related Topics:
Valparaiso - Tahiti - Wallis Island - Futuna Island - French - English - Protestant

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The group was initially well received by the island's king, Niuliki. Once the missionaries learned the local language and began preaching directly to the people, the king grew restive. He believed that Christianity would take away his prerogatives as high priest and king. When the king's son, Meitala sought to be baptized, the king sent a fovoured warrior, Musumusu to "do whatever was necessary" to resolve the problem. Musumusu initially went to Meitala and the two fought. Musumusu, injured in the fracas went to Peter Chanel feigning need of medical attention. While Peter tended him a group of others ransacked his house. Musumusu took an axe and clubbed Peter on the head. Peter died that day, April 28, 1841.

Related Topics:
Christianity - Baptized

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Pompallier, upon hearing of the death of Chanel, arranged for a French naval vessel L?Allier, commanded by the Comte du Bouzet, to accompany the Mission schooner the Sancta Maria and to sail for Wallis and Futuna Islands, taking with him Fr. Philippe Viard. The two vessels arrived at Wallis on 30 December 1841 after a journey of 32 days. Fr. Bataillon, the missionary priest on Wallis persuaded the Bishop to stay a while on Wallis, where conversions were plentiful. The Bishop sent Viard to Futuna, where he landed on 18th January 1842. A chief named Maligi, who had not agreed to Chanel?s murder, agreed to disinter Fr. Chanel?s body, and brought it to the L?Allier the next day, wrapped in several local mats. The body was taken back to France and Rome via New Zealand and Australia.

Related Topics:
French - Wallis and Futuna

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The relics were returned to Futuna in 1977.

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Chanel's martyrdom accomplished his missionary work, however, and within a few years most on the island had converted.

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Chanel was declared a martyr and beatified in 1889. He was canonised in 1954 by Pope Pius XII. He is the patron saint of "Oceania," and his feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is April 28.

Related Topics:
Pope Pius XII - Patron saint - Oceania - Feast day - April 28

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