St Denis was Bishop of Paris then Lutetia in the third century and, together with his companions the Priest Rusticus and Deacon Eleutherius , was Martyred for his faith by decapitation. Patronages β against frenzy, against headaches, against hydrophobia or rabies, against strife, France, Paris, possessed people. The feast of Saint Denis was added to the Roman Calendar in the year by Pope Pius V, although it had been celebrated since at least the year The decapitated Bishop picked up his head and walked several miles while preaching a sermon on repentance.
There Denis was appointed first Bishop of Paris. The persecutions under Emperor Decius had all but dissolved the small Christian community at Lutetia Paris. Roman Paris lay on the higher ground of the Left Bank, away from the river. 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 , which was likely to have been a druidic holy place.
After he was decapitated, Denis picked his head up and walked several miles from the summit of the hill, preaching a sermon on repentance the entire way, making him the most renowned cephalophores in hagiology. The site where he stopped preaching and actually died was marked by a small shrine that developed into the Saint Denis Cathedral Basilica, which became the burial place for the Kings of France.
You can marvel at the statue of Saint Denis, holding his head in the quiet square Suzanne Buisson. Or even walk in his steps on rue Mont-Saint Denis , which is said to follow the same route the Saint took after being decapitated.
Since at least the ninth century, the legends of Dionysius the Areopagite and Denis of Paris have often been confused. Around , Louis the Pious 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 Saint Paul.
