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Denis or Denys, St, properly Dionysius 3rd century AD
Italian cleric and patron saint of France

Born probably in Rome, he was sent from Rome about 250AD to preach the Gospel to the Gauls, and became the first Bishop of Paris. Under the persecutions of the Emperor Valerian (reigned 253-60) he was beheaded on Montmartre ('Martyrs' Hill'). Later his legend was confused with that of Dionysius the Areopagite, and he was supposed to have carried his own head to his burial place, the site of the abbey church of Saint-Denys. His feast day is 9 October.

Bibliography: Ingeborg Bahr, Saint Denis und seine Vita im Spiegel der Bilduberlieferung der französischen Kunst des Mittelalters (1984)