Denis

Denis, St, the traditional apostle of France and first Bishop of Paris, who suffered martyrdom in the 3d century. He was sent from Rome about 250 to preach the gospel to the Gauls. After various detentions at Arles and other places, he arrived in Paris, where he made numerous proselytes. The Roman governor of this part of Gaul ordered Denis to be brought before him, along with other two Christians. As they continued firm in their faith, in spite of threats, they were cruelly tortured, and afterwards beheaded, in 272 or in 290. Gregory of Tours, Fortunatus, and the Latin martyrologists, state that the bodies of the three martyrs were thrown into the Seine, but were recovered and buried by a Christian woman. At a later period, a chapel was built over their tomb. In 636 King Dagobert founded on the spot an abbey, called St Denis, which soon grew to be one of the richest and most important in the whole kingdom, and was long the sepulchre of the French kings. The collection entitled the Acts of St Denis, written about the end of the 7th or beginning of the 8th century, has no historical value. The Greek Church identifies St Denis with Dionysius the Areopagite, first Bishop of Athens. The Western Church celebrates his memory on the 9th of October. For a long period his name was the war-cry of the French soldiers, who charged or rallied to the words 'Montjoye Saint-Denis!'