Saint Denis. Denis was a legendary 3rd-century Christian martyr and saint.
According to his hagiographies, he was bishop of Paris in the third century and, together with his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, was martyred for his faith by decapitation. Some accounts placed this during Domitian's persecution and identified St Denis of Paris with the Areopagite who was converted by Paul the Apostle and who served as the first bishop of Athens.
Assuming Denis's historicity, it is now considered more likely that he suffered under the persecution of the emperor Decius shortly after 250. Denis is the most famous cephalophore in Christian legend, with a popular story claiming that the decapitated bishop picked up his head and walked several miles while preaching a sermon on repentance.
He is venerated in the Catholic Church as the patron saint of France and Paris and is accounted one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. A chapel was raised at the site of his burial by a local Christian woman; it was later expanded into an abbey and basilica, around which grew up the French city of Saint-Denis, now a suburb of Paris.
The medieval and modern French masculine given name Denis derives from the Latin and Greek name Dionysius. This saint is sometimes distinguished as His name is also sometimes spelled Dennis and Denys. Gregory of Tours states that Denis was bishop of the Parisii and was martyred by being beh
According to his hagiographies, he was bishop of Paris in the third century and, together with his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, was martyred for his faith by decapitation. Some accounts placed this during Domitian's persecution and identified St Denis of Paris with the Areopagite who was converted by Paul the Apostle and who served as the first bishop of Athens.
Assuming Denis's historicity, it is now considered more likely that he suffered under the persecution of the emperor Decius shortly after 250. Denis is the most famous cephalophore in Christian legend, with a popular story claiming that the decapitated bishop picked up his head and walked several miles while preaching a sermon on repentance.
He is venerated in the Catholic Church as the patron saint of France and Paris and is accounted one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. A chapel was raised at the site of his burial by a local Christian woman; it was later expanded into an abbey and basilica, around which grew up the French city of Saint-Denis, now a suburb of Paris.
The medieval and modern French masculine given name Denis derives from the Latin and Greek name Dionysius. This saint is sometimes distinguished as His name is also sometimes spelled Dennis and Denys. Gregory of Tours states that Denis was bishop of the Parisii and was martyred by being beh
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