Denis of Paris was a 3rd-century
Christian martyr
In Christianity, a martyr is a person considered to have died because of their testimony for Jesus or faith in Jesus. In years of the early church, stories depict this often occurring through death by sawing, stoning, crucifixion, burning at t ...
and
saint
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...
. According to his
hagiographies, he was
bishop of Paris (then
Lutetia) 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
Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Fl ...
's
persecution and incorrectly identified StDenis 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
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...
Decius
Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius ( 201 ADJune 251 AD), sometimes translated as Trajan Decius or Decius, was the emperor of the Roman Empire from 249 to 251.
A distinguished politician during the reign of Philip the Arab, Decius was procl ...
shortly after AD250.
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
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
as the
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
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
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The c ...
and
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its nam ...
, around which grew up the French city of
Saint-Denis, now a suburb of Paris.
Name
The medieval and modern
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
masculine given name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a ...
Denis derives from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
name
Dionysius from
Greek Dionysios.
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
Italia to convert
Gaul
Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
in the third century, forging a link with the "apostles to the Gauls" reputed to have been sent out with six other missionary bishops under the direction of
Pope Fabian. There Denis was appointed first Bishop of Paris.
The persecutions under
Emperor Decius had all but dissolved the small Christian community at
Lutetia (Paris).
Denis, with his inseparable companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, who were martyred with him, settled on the
Île de la Cité in the
River Seine
)
, mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur
, mouth_coordinates =
, mouth_elevation =
, progression =
, river_system = Seine basin
, basin_size =
, tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle
, tributari ...
.
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
lay on the higher ground of the
Left Bank, away from the river.
Martyrdom
Denis and his companions were so effective in converting people that the
pagan priests became alarmed over their loss of followers. At their instigation, the Roman Governor arrested the missionaries. After a long imprisonment, Denis and two of his clergy were executed by beheading
on the highest hill in Paris (now
Montmartre
Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...
), which was likely to have been a
druidic holy place. The martyrdom of Denis and his companions is popularly believed to have given the site its current name, derived from the Latin ''Mons Martyrum'' ''"The Martyrs' Mountain"'',
although the name is possibly derived from ''Mons Mercurii et Mons Martis'', ''Hill of Mercury and Mars''.
After his head was cut off, Denis is said to have picked it up and walked several miles from the summit of the hill, preaching a
sermon the entire way, making him one of many
cephalophores in hagiology. Of the many accounts of this martyrdom, this is noted in detail in the ''
Golden Legend'' and in Butler's ''Lives Of The Saints''. The site where he stopped preaching and actually died was marked by a small shrine that developed into the
Basilica of Saint-Denis, which became the burial place for the
kings of France. Another account has his corpse being thrown into the
Seine, but recovered and buried later that night by his converts.
Veneration
Veneration of Denis began soon after his death. The bodies of Denis, Eleutherius, and Rusticus were buried on the spot of their martyrdom, where the construction of the
eponymous basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its nam ...
was begun by
Genevieve, assisted by the people of
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
.
Her ''Vita Sanctae Genovefae'' attests the presence of a shrine near the present basilica by the close of the fifth century.
Dagobert I, great-grandson of
Chlothar I
Chlothar I, sometime called "the Old" ( French: le Vieux), (died December 561) also anglicised as Clotaire, was a king of the Franks of the Merovingian dynasty and one of the four sons of Clovis I.
Chlothar's father, Clovis I, divided the kingd ...
, had the first Royal Basilica built. The Merovingian tradition was, originally, to bury kings such as
Clovis and
Chlothildis in Paris at Abbey St-Genevieve/Genovefa, as Clovis had ordered its construction in 502 AD. Yet Chilperic I had his own mother,
Dowager Queen Aregunda, buried at Saint-Denis. His grandson was clearly following a family tradition. Aregunda's (death about 580 AD) tomb was discovered in 1959, and her burial items can be seen at the
Saint-Germain-en-Laye museum. A 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, StDenis came to be regarded as the
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
of the
French people
The French people (french: Français) are an ethnic group and nation primarily located in Western Europe that share a common French culture, history, and language, identified with the country of France.
The French people, especially the na ...
, with
StLouis the patron of the
monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic ( constitutional monar ...
and
royal dynasties. ''Saint Denis'' or ''Montjoie! Saint Denis!'' became the typical
war-cry of the
French armies. The
oriflamme
The Oriflamme (from Latin ''aurea flamma'', "golden flame"), a pointed, blood-red banner flown from a gilded lance, was the battle standard of the King of France in the Middle Ages. The oriflamme originated as the sacred banner of the Abbey of S ...
, which became the standard of France, was the banner consecrated upon his tomb. His veneration spread beyond France when, in 754,
Pope Stephen II brought veneration of Saint Denis to Rome. Soon his ''
cultus'' was prevalent throughout Europe.
Abbot Suger
Suger (; la, Sugerius; 1081 – 13 January 1151) was a French abbot, statesman, and historian. He once lived at the court of Pope Calixtus II in Maguelonne, France. He later became abbot of St-Denis, and became a close confidant to King Lou ...
removed the relics of Denis, and those associated with Rustique and Eleuthére, from the crypt, to reside under the high altar of the Saint-Denis he rebuilt, 1140-44.
In traditional Catholic practice, Saint Denis is honoured as one of the
Fourteen Holy Helpers. Specifically, Denis is invoked against
diabolical possession and headaches
and with Geneviève is one of the patron saints of Paris.
Feast
October 9 is celebrated as the feast of Saint Denis and companions, a priest named Rusticus and a
deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...
, Eleutherius, who were martyred alongside him and buried with him. The names Rusticus and Eleutherius are non-historical. The feast of Saint Denis was added to the
Roman Calendar
The Roman calendar was the calendar used by the Roman Kingdom and Roman Republic. The term often includes the Julian calendar established by the reforms of the dictator Julius Caesar and emperor Augustus in the late 1stcenturyBC and some ...
in the year 1568 by
Pope Pius V, although it had been celebrated since at least the year 800.
Saint Denis is also
remembered with a
commemoration in many Anglican Provinces, including the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...
and the
Anglican Church of Canada, on
October 9.
Confusion with Dionysius the Areopagite
Since at least the ninth century, the legends of
Dionysius the Areopagite
Dionysius the Areopagite (; grc-gre, Διονύσιος ὁ Ἀρεοπαγίτης ''Dionysios ho Areopagitēs'') was an Athenian judge at the Areopagus Court in Athens, who lived in the first century. A convert to Christianity, he is venerat ...
and Denis of Paris have often been confused. Around 814,
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqu ...
brought certain writings attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite to France, and since then it became common among the French legendary writers to argue that Denis of Paris was the same Dionysius who was a famous convert and disciple of
Paul of Tarsus
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
.
The confusion of the personalities of Denis of Paris, Dionysius the Areopagite, and
pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (or Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite) was a Greek author, Christian theologian and Neoplatonic philosopher of the late 5th to early 6th century, who wrote a set of works known as the ''Corpus Areopagiticum'' ...
, the author of the writings ascribed to Dionysius brought to France by Louis, was initiated through an ''Areopagitica'' written in 836 by
Hilduin, Abbot of Saint-Denis, at the request of
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqu ...
. "Hilduin was anxious to promote the dignity of his church, and it is to him that the quite unfounded identification of the patron saint with Dionysius the Areopagite and his consequent connexion with the apostolic age are due." Hilduin's attribution had been supported for centuries by the monastic community at
Abbey of Saint-Denis and it was one of the origins of their pride. In ''
Historia calamitatum
''Historia Calamitatum'' (known in English as ''The Story of My Misfortunes'' or ''The History of My Calamities''), also known as ''Abaelardi ad Amicum Suum Consolatoria,'' is an autobiographical work in Latin by Peter Abelard (1079–1142), a med ...
'',
Pierre Abelard gives a short account of the strength of this belief and the monastery's harsh opposition to challenges to their claim. Abelard jokingly pointed out a possibility that the founder of the Abbey could have been another Dionysius, who is mentioned as Dionysius of Corinth by
Eusebius
Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Chris ...
. This irritated the community so much that eventually Abelard left in bitterness. As late as the sixteenth century, scholars might still argue for an Eastern origin of the Basilica of Saint-Denis: one was Godefroi Tillman, in a long preface to a paraphrase of the ''Letters'' of the Areopagite, printed in Paris in 1538 by Charlotte Guillard. Most historiographers agree that this conflated legend is completely erroneous.
Depiction in art
Denis' headless walk has led to his being depicted in art decapitated and dressed as a
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
, holding his own (often
mitred)
head in his hands.
Handling the
halo in this circumstance poses 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. Even more problematic than the halo was the issue of how much of his head Denis should be shown carrying.
Throughout much of the Middle Ages, the Abbey of St Denis and the
canons of
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to th ...
were in dispute over ownership of the saint's head. The Abbey claimed that they had the entire body, whilst the Cathedral claimed to possess the top of his head which, they claimed, had been severed by the executioner's first blow. Thus while most depictions of St Denis show him holding his entire head, in others, the patrons have shown their support for the Cathedral's claim by depicting him carrying just the crown of his skull, as for example in the mid 13th century window showing the story at
Le Mans Cathedral
Le Mans Cathedral ( French: ''Cathédrale St-Julien du Mans'') is a Catholic church situated in Le Mans, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Julian of Le Mans, the city's first bishop, who established Christianity in the area around th ...
(Bay 111).
A 1317 illustrated manuscript depicting ''The Life of Saint Denis'', once owned by
King Philip V of France, is preserved in the
Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. It was given to the king by his chaplain Gilles, the abbot of Saint-Denis, having been commissioned by Jean de Pontoise, the previous Abbot of Saint-Denis. The manuscript contains seventy-seven miniatures illustrating the life and martyrdom of Saint Denis.
See also
*
Peter, Andrew, Paul, and Denise
*
Saint Denis, patron saint archive
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
Catholic Encyclopedia: ''St. Denis''provides information about their feast on 9 October
at th
Christian Iconographywebsite
in Caxton's translation of the Golden Legend
{{DEFAULTSORT:Denis of Paris, Saint
Italian saints
French Roman Catholic saints
250 deaths
3rd-century births
3rd-century bishops in Gaul
3rd-century Christian martyrs
Bishops of Paris
Fourteen Holy Helpers
Cephalophores
Gallo-Roman saints
Patron saints of France
Burials at the Basilica of Saint-Denis
Anglican saints