Landry of Paris

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Saint Landry of Paris, also called Landericus, died around 661. He was the Bishop of Paris and is venerated as a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. His feast day is June 10.

Landry served as chief clerk of the Royal Chancery before becoming bishop in 650, succeeding Audobertus. During the famine of 650–51, he sold his own possessions and some church goods to feed the poor. He is credited with founding the city’s first major hospital, dedicated to Saint Christopher, which later became the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris.

In 653, Landry and 23 other bishops signed a charter granted by Clovis II to Saint-Denis Abbey, exempting it from episcopal jurisdiction. He is believed to have built the original church of Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois, which became the church of the French kings. Landry died in 661 and was buried at Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois, where a chapel is named after him and most of his relics remain (two bones were given to the parish of Saint-Landry in 1408, near the saint’s house where he prayed). He is honored in the Paris Breviary, and miracles are attributed to him, including one where a man healed of a severe swelling quickly recovered after praying to Saint Landry.

St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana, is named for him; it has a statue behind the altar and a stained glass window depicting him. The parish of St. Landry in Louisiana is named after the church. Port St-Landry was Paris’s first dock.