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John Ribat

b. 1957

Papua New Guinean cardinal (born 1957)

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About John Ribat

Born 1957. John Ribat is a catholic priest and catholic bishop.

Sir John Ribat (born 9 February 1957) is a Papua New Guinean prelate of the Catholic Church and a cardinal since 2016. He has been Archbishop of Port Moresby since 2008.

Biography

Ribat was born in Volavolo, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. He professed as a member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in February 1979. He was ordained a priest on 1 December 1985.

He worked as a parish priest, continued his studies in Manila, and served as master of novices for the Missionaries in Suva, Fiji.

He was conferred a knighthood on 12 June 2016 in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

On 9 October 2016, Pope Francis announced that he planned to raise Ribat to the rank of cardinal at a consistory scheduled for 19 November 2016. He was made a Cardinal Priest on that day and assigned to the titular church of San Giovanni Battista de Rossi. He is the first cardinal from his country.

Francis made him a member of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development on 23 December 2017.

He participated as a cardinal elector in the 2025 papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Papua New Guinea
Positions held
Cardinal priest, Auxiliary bishop, Catholic archbishop, Diocesan bishop
Awards
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Sir John Ribat

People in John Ribat's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Ribat's

Frequently asked questions

Who is John Ribat?

Papua New Guinean cardinal (born 1957)

When was John Ribat born?

John Ribat was born on 9 February 1957 in Rabaul District.

What is John Ribat's occupation?

John Ribat is a catholic priest and catholic bishop.

What nationality is John Ribat?

John Ribat's recorded nationality: Papua New Guinea.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Ribat

· Wikidata: Q1701563

· DBpedia: John Ribat

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Ribat. https://biography.guide/john-ribat/

MLA: "John Ribat." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-ribat/.

Chicago: "John Ribat." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-ribat/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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