Blessed Pierre Landry made history by being martyred during the first "Reign of Terror" of the French Revolution in what is sometimes called the "September Massacres" or the "Martyrs of Paris". He was among the 191 members of the clergy (some say 240) executed on this fateful day.

Born September 12, 1762 in the country town of Niort, France. ( See Map Below ).  The city of Niort is the capitol of the Department Deux Sevres in Poitou Province. He studied at the College of Oratoriens in this town, then in the Roman Catholic seminary.

He was the seventh child of a family of twelve. His parents were Mathurin Landry and Jeanne Francoise Duvauxdermigny. His father, Mathurin, was an estblished merchant, who was 24 years of age when he came to Niort and married in 1753 Jeanne Francoise who was 25 years of age. Jean Landry, Mathurin's father, was a royal notary and judge seneschal of the "Chatellenie" of "La Chaise" and of "Pressac" in Angoumois. His uncle and godfather were also royal notary at Guimps. Jeanne Francoise Duvauxdermigny was from Niort of Notre Dame parish. She was the daughter of the deceased Pierre Duvaux-Dermigny, employee on the king's farm. She died after giving birth in 1768 to her tenth child. Mathurin remarried to Jeanne Guinefolleau who gave him another two children. The family lived in Notre Dame parish.

After his ordination, at the age of 27 years, he was appointed in April 1789, vicar (assistant pastor) of his native parish, Notre Dame de Niort.  His curate (pastor) was the arch priest Jean GOIZET, 47 years old, who was also born in Niort. The second vicar was father Philippe MARCHAND.

It was at the time of the premises of the Revolution which was going to convulse France and to lead to the fall of the Royalty. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed in July 1790 which was reinforced by a decree of the Constituent Assembly of Novermber 27, 1790, which required the oath, stirred up the people. It was repeated by the Legislative Assembly which deprived those who refused it to the right to exercise their ministry and was foreseeing their transfer and even their detention.

Arch priest Jean Goizet showed himself to be open to the new ideas, but he was unable to admit the Civil Constitution of the Clergy and refused to take the asked oath. On January 20, 1792, he wrote to the municipal officers: It is impossible for me to take an oath which is contrary to my conscience because"...as much I am attached to the Nation, the law and the King, I am equally attached to my God, my religion, my faith and my people...I will suffer patiently and in the midst of my troubles, one will never find me anything but a friend of the peace and of the Nation".

His two vicars followed his example. Pierre Landry had already informed the clerk of the local council of his intention to refuse to take the oath. The administration insisted on him, confirming this in writing. On January 27th, he persisted in his refusal, using the following terms: "The undersigned has the honor to confirm again, that after having weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, many considerations, from which he will make his duty never to move away from, he has consequently believed it was his duty to refuse to take the oath.....".

His collegue, the second vicar Jean Philippe MARCHAND, did the same thing, he also wrote, "...my firm intention is not to take the oath, which my conscience refuses and nothing on earth would make me decide to do such a thing....".

Pierre Landry asserted his determination with the strength which was never denied. On March 7th, the arch priest being absent, he refused togive the church vestments to a priest of Saint Andre Parish who had taken the oath and who came to celebrate the mass. To the congregation which was witnessing this refusal, he declared: "I must tell you how surprised I am to see the arrival of a minister who is foreign to my Sheppard and wants to represent Him at his atler".

On July 27th, 1792, a decree from the Directoire of the Department ordered the faithful priest to leave the Deux Sevres department.

The three clergymen, who were joined by father Andre AZURE, priest of Usseau and former vicar of Nortre Dame de Niort, took refuge at the home of Arch priest Jean Goizet's sister.

All four of them took the road to Paris where many faithful priests had been able to hide themselves. Their intentions were to go abroad, but the refuges in the capitol, especially in the district of Luxembourg where they were hiding, were located and shortly thereafter, all four were arrested and put in prison in the convent of Carmes.

Organized by the Communal Comity of Supervision, which was directed by MARAT and where citizens were judged without appeal, the terrible insurrection days of September started by the massacre, during their transfer to the Abbey prisons, of twenty four priests, arrested for their refusal to take the oath.

After this massacre, the rioters, conducted by BILLARD-VARENNE and MALLARD, rushed toward the church of the Carmes, where two hundred priests were detained and as they came into the church, were slaughtered by swords and guns.

Pierre Landry and Jean Pierre Marchand fell dead!

Father Andre Azure was able to escape after seeing Arch priest Jean Goizet being struck and whose entrails were breaking free from his belly through an open wound.

There, Notre Dame de Niort had given three martyrs to the faith.

The next morning the Secretary of the Luxembourg Section had all the bodies of the victims gathered and stripped of all clothing which was shared among the executioners and the poor. The bodies were then loaded on two large wagons and carried to the cemetary of Vaugirard, where they were thrown pell-mell into a large pit!

The pointifical Edict stating the martydom of the victims of September 1792, pronounced in Rome on October 1, 1926, stated among others, the elevation on the alters of the Blessed Pierre Landry. Special markers are erected to honor the three martyers.  (See Below).