Saint Peter Le Tuy was born in 1773 into a middle-class family in Bang So village, belonging to So Ha parish, now part of Thanh Tri district, Hanoi. He entered the seminary at Ke Vinh, Nam Dinh province, and later was ordained a priest. Father Tuy zealously served as assistant pastor in Dong Thanh (Chan Loc) and then as pastor of Nam Duong parish in Nghe An province.
In 1833, during the reign of King Minh Mang, an edict prohibiting Christianity was issued. In the autumn of 1833, while anointing a seriously ill patient, Father Tuy was arrested. When the parishioners learned of this, they went to the district magistrate to plead for his release in exchange for ransom. The magistrate agreed to spare Father Tuy's life on the condition that he admit to being a physician visiting the patient.
Because Father Tuy adamantly refused to lie, he was imprisoned in Nghe An dungeon. There, the authorities asked him, "Are you a leader of the religion?" Father Tuy replied, "Yes, I am a leader of the Christian faith!"
The magistrate then said, "You are old, and I pity you, but the law is strict. If you sign a statement claiming to be a physician, we can spare you from the death penalty. Aren't you afraid of death?" Father Tuy responded, "I thank the magistrate for wanting to save me, but the conscience of a Christian leader does not allow me to comply with your request."
The magistrate sent the case to the capital, assuming that due to Father Tuy's age of 60, he would only be fined rather than executed. However, King Minh Mang decreed the death sentence: "The man named Le Tuy has claimed to be a religious leader and spread heretical teachings among the people; he must be executed."
On October 11, 1833, the execution was carried out at Cho Quan Ban execution ground. Before ascending the scaffold, Father Tuy asked for a moment to kneel in prayer and advised his nephew, "Stay strong and steadfast, and you will also receive eternal reward." His remains were later buried at Trang Nua church and then transferred to Bang So.
Father Peter Le Tuy was beatified on May 27, 1900, and canonized on June 19, 1988.