October 9 + Saint Denis

Denis was the first bishop of Paris and, together with his companions Rusticus (a priest) and Eleutherius (a deacon), was martyred for his faith by decapitation under the persecution of the emperor Decius around 250 AD. Denis is the most well-known cephalophore — a cephalophore (from the Greek for "head-carrier") is a saint who is generally depicted carrying their own severed head.

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, Rusticus and Eleutherius were executed by beheading on the highest hill in Paris - the Montmartre - Latin Mons Martyrum "The Martyrs’ Mountain.”

Early tradition holds that Denis, AFTER being beheaded, preached a sermon on repentance and forgiving his assassins from the mouth of his own severed head while walking several miles from his execution site to his grave. A chapel was raised at the site of his burial by Saint Genevieve which was later expanded into an abbey and basilica, around which grew up the French city of Saint-Denis, now a suburb of Paris.

Decapitation is the purest form of capital punishment, caput being Latin for “head.” The decapitation of a bishop, in particular, was meant to separate the head of the Church from its body, leaving the ship without its captain. Saint John the Baptist, Saint Paul, Saint Cyprian, Saint Pope Sixtus II, were all Christian leaders and were all beheaded. Bishop Denis’ head is cleaved from his body but still united to it. Just as Christ’s head can never be separated from His body the Church. Christ is one, head and body, and every bishop stands in Christ’s stead to exercise the fullness of Christ’s priestly ministry to teach, govern, and sanctify the people of God.

Denis the Patron Saint of France and Paris, against headaches and demons and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.