St Denis, Patron of France

Today is the Feast of St Denis, Patron of France and of Paris.

At Paris, the birthday of the holy martyrs Denis the Areopagite, a bishop, Rusticus, a priest, and Eleutherius, a deacon. Denis was baptized by the apostle St. Paul, and consecrated first bishop of Athens. Then going to Rome, he was sent to France by the blessed Roman Pontiff Clement to preach the Gospel. He proceeded to Paris, and after having for some years faithfully filled the office entrusted to him, he was subjected to the severest kinds of torments by the prefect Fescennius, and at length was beheaded with his companions, thus completing his martyrdom.

From the Roman Martyrology

More information on him:

From the Catholic Encyclopædia.

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From Wikipedia.

St Denis, Pray for France! Vive la France! Vive le roi, Louis XX!