St. Denis - October 9

This martyr and patron of France is regarded as the first bishop of Paris. His popularity is due to a series of legends, especially those connecting him with the great abbey church of St. Denis in Paris. He was for a time confused with the writer now called Pseudo-Dionysius. The best hypothesis contends that Denis was sent to Gaul from Rome in the third century and beheaded in the persecution under Emperor Valerius in 258. Before dying decapitated, Denis and his companions were said to have suffered terribly. These tortures inspired authors to produce texts and images. All preserved narratives are unanimous in affirming that saint Denis and his companions Rustique et Éleuthère were beheaded. According to one of the legends, after he was martyred on Montmartre—literally, “mountain of martyrs”—in Paris, he carried his head to a village northeast of the city. Saint Genevieve built a basilica over his tomb at the beginning of the sixth century.