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 venerated as a saint by multiple denominations.

Life

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich says that he studied at Heliopolis, on the Nile, in Egypt, where there was also a Jewish community. Domenico_Ghirlandaio_Madonna_and_Child_enthroned_between_Angels_and_Saint_c_1486

Domenico_Ghirlandaio_Madonna_and_Child_enthroned_between_Angels_and_Saint_c_1486

As related in the ''

Acts of the Apostles The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its messag ...

'' (), he was converted to Christianity by the preaching of

Paul the Apostle 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; ...

After his conversion, Dionysius became the first Bishop of Athens, though he is sometimes counted as the second after

Hierotheus Hierotheos or Hierotheus may refer to: * Hierotheos the Thesmothete, traditional first bishop of Athens in the 1st century * , legendary bishop of Segovia in the 1st century * , active in Hungary in the 10th century * , Constantinopolitan letter wr ...

. He is venerated as a

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

in the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches. He is the patron saint of Athens and is venerated as the protector of the Judges and the Judiciary. His memory is celebrated on October 3.

Historic confusions

In the early sixth century the so-called ''

Corpus Dionysiacum 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'' or ...

'', a series of writings of a mystical nature, employing Neoplatonic language to elucidate Christian theological and mystical ideas, was ascribed to the Areopagite. Dionysius has been misidentified with the martyr Dionysius, the first Bishop of Paris. However, this mistake by a ninth century writer is ignored and each saint is commemorated on his respective day.

Modern references

In Athens there are two large churches bearing his name, one in Kolonaki on Skoufa Street, while the other is the Catholic Metropolis of Athens, on Panepistimiou Street. The pedestrian walkway around the Acropolis, which passes through the rock of the Areios Pagos, also bears his name. Dionysius is the patron saint of the Gargaliani of Messenia, as well as in the village of Dionysi in the south of the prefecture of Heraklion. The village was named after him and is the only village of Crete with a church in honor of Saint Dionysios Areopagitis.

References

Sources

External links

*
Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite the Bishop of Athens
Orthodox icon and

synaxarion Synaxarion or Synexarion (plurals Synaxaria, Synexaria; el, Συναξάριον, from συνάγειν, ''synagein'', "to bring together"; cf. etymology of ''synaxis'' and ''synagogue''; Latin: ''Synaxarium'', ''Synexarium''; cop, ⲥⲩⲛⲁ ...

* Max Müllerbr>Dionysius the Areopagite
Lecture 1895 {{Authority control Ancient Athenians Doctors of the Church 1st-century Christian saints 1st-century bishops in Roman Achaea 1st-century Christian theologians People in Acts of the Apostles 1st-century Christian martyrs Converts to Christianity from pagan religions Saints of Roman Athens Bishops of Athens Clergy from Athens