St. Peter Chanel, priest, first martyr of Oceania

St. Peter Chanel (1803-1841) was a French Catholic priest and missionary who became the first martyr of Oceania. Born in the village of Cuet, France, he joined the Society of Mary and was sent as a missionary to the island of Futuna in 1836. There, he worked tirelessly to convert the local population to Christianity, eventually winning over the king. However, the king's brother, threatened by Chanel's influence, ordered his murder, and he was clubbed to death on April 28, 1841. Chanel was canonized in 1954, and is the patron saint of Oceania and the missions.