Period of French history, 18-May 21, 1871, when Commune of Paris attempted to set up a government opposed to the National Assembly of Versailles. The leaders of the revolutionary party, out of hatred for the Church, arrested priests and religious, prominent by their personal character or official position. The martyrs of the Commune may be divided into three groups:
Over 50 prisoners were taken from the prison of La Raquette to an enclosure, cite Vincennes, and were literally hacked to pieces. The massacre lasted one hour. Among the victims were 11 ecclesiastics: 3Jesuits, Fathers Pierre Clivant, Anatole Bengy, and Jean Caubert; 4 members of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary; 3 secular priests, and 1 seminarist. Shortly after the atrocity, the regular troops seized La Raquette, and took possession of the last stronghold of the Commune.