Everything about Denis totally explained
Saint Denis of Paris (also called
Dionysius,
Dennis, or
Denys) is a
Christian martyr and
saint. In the third century, he was
bishop of Paris. He was martyred in approximately
250, and is venerated especially in the
Roman Catholic Church as patron of
Paris, France and one of the
Fourteen Holy Helpers. The modern name "Denis" derives from the ancient name Dionysius, "servant of
Dionysus".
Life
Gregory of Tours states that Denis was bishop of the
Parisii and was martyred by being beheaded by a
sword. The earliest document giving an account of his life and martyrdom, the
Passio SS. Dionysii Rustici et Eleutherii dates from
c. 600, is mistakenly attributed to the poet
Venantius Fortunatus, and is legendary. Nevertheless, it appears from the
Passio that Denis was sent from
Italy to convert
Gaul in the
third century, forging a link with the "apostles to the Gauls" reputed to have been sent out under the direction of
Pope Fabian. This was after the persecutions under
Emperor Decius had all but dissolved the small Christian community at
Lutetia. Denis, with his inseparable companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, who were martyred with him, settled on the
Île de la Cité in the
River Seine.
Roman Paris lay on the higher ground of the
Left Bank, away from the river.
Martyrdom
Denis, having irritated the tempers of heathen priests for his many
conversions, was
executed by
beheading on the highest hill in Paris (now
Montmartre), which was likely to have been a
druidic holy place. The martyrdom of Denis and his companions gave it its current name, which in
Old French means "mountain of martyrs". The site where he stopped preaching and actually died was made into a small shrine that developed into the
Saint Denis Basilica, which became the burial place for the
kings of France. Another account has his corpse being thrown in the
Seine, but recovered and buried later that night by his converts. Her
Vita Sanctae Genovefae attests the presence of a shrine near the present basilica by the close of the fifth century, though the names of Rusticus and Eleutherius are non-historical. The successor church was erected by
Fulrad, who became abbot in 749/50 and was closely linked with the accession of the Carolingians to the Merovingian throne.
In time, the
"Saint Denis", often combined as
"Montjoie! Saint Denis!" became the
war-cry of the French armies. The
oriflamme, which became the
standard of France, was the banner consecrated upon his tomb. His veneration spread beyond France when, in
754,
Pope Stephen II, who was French, brought veneration of Saint Denis to
Rome. Soon his
cultus was prevalent throughout
Europe.
The feast of Saint Denis was added to the
Roman Calendar in
1568 by
Pope Pius V, though it had been celebrated since at least
800. Denis' feast day is
October 9.
Companions
9 October is celebrated as the feast of Saint Denis and also of his companions, a
priest named Rusticus and a
deacon, Eleutherius, who were martyred alongside him and buried with him.
Confusion with Dionysus the Areopagite
Since at least the ninth century, the legends of
Dionysus the Areopagite and Denis of Paris have been often confused. Circa
814,
Louis the Pious brought certain writings attributed to Dionysus the Areopagite to France, and since then it became common among the French legendary writers to prove that Denis of Paris was the same Dionysus who was a famous convert and disciple of
Saint Paul. Scholars might still argue for an Eastern origin of the Basilica of Saint-Denis in the sixteenth century: one was Godefroi Tillman's long preface to a paraphrase of the
Letters of the Areopagite, printed in Paris in 1538 by Charlotte Guillard. Historiographers of the present day don't dispute this point.
Depiction in art
Denis' headless walk has led to his being depicted in art decapitated and dressed as a
bishop, holding his own
mitred
head in his hands.
Handling the
halo in this circumstance offers a unique challenge for the artist. Some put the halo where the head used to be; others have Saint Denis carrying the halo along with the head.
Further Information
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