Saint Dionysius the Areopagite
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite (died c. 95 AD in Athens, Greece) was an Athenian judge on the Areopagus (the supreme court of Athens) who was converted by Saint Paul during his famous sermon on the Areopagus (Acts 17:34). He became the first Bishop of Athens and is considered the first convert from Paul's mission in Greece. He is sometimes conflated with the 6th-century theologian Pseudo-Dionysius (who wrote influential works on mystical theology under his name) and with Saint Denis of Paris, but modern scholarship treats these as three distinct persons. His feast day is October 3.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Dionysius the Areopagite
| Saint Dionysius the Areopagite | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 03 |
| Profession | Athenian judge (Areopagite); first Bishop of Athens; convert of Saint Paul |
| Rel. Affiliation | Early Church; Apostolic era |
| Patronage | Athens; judges; philosophers; the Areopagus; Greece |
| Attributes | Book (the writings attributed to him, though these are by Pseudo-Dionysius); bishop's vestments; Athenian setting; the Areopagus outcrop behind him |
| Birthplace | Athens, Attica, Greece |
| Death Place | Athens, Attica, Greece |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom (in some traditions); natural causes (in others) |
| Liturgical Class | Not included in universal Roman Calendar; observed in Greek Orthodox Church (October 3) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Dionysius the Areopagite is mentioned by name in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 17:34) as one of the converts made by Saint Paul in Athens during his famous sermon at the Areopagus. Paul had been brought before the Areopagus (the highest court in Athens, meeting on the rocky outcrop of Mars' Hill beside the Acropolis) by Athenian philosophers who wished to hear his teaching. He delivered his celebrated speech about the Unknown God, which begins: For as I was going through the city and looking carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, "To an unknown god." (Acts 17:23).
Most of his audience mocked him when he spoke of the resurrection; a few believed. Among those who believed was Dionysius the Areopagite — identified as a member of the Areopagus council itself, and thus a figure of social standing — and a woman named Damaris.
Dionysius is considered by tradition the first Bishop of Athens. Few other historical details survive. He died around 95 AD.
In the 6th century, an anonymous theologian writing under the pseudonym Dionysius the Areopagite (Pseudo-Dionysius) produced a body of mystical and hierarchical theology of enormous influence on the medieval West (including the Celestial Hierarchy, Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, Divine Names, and Mystical Theology). These writings were falsely attributed to the biblical Dionysius and were taken as apostolic authority, giving them immense prestige. Modern scholarship has definitively separated the two figures.
He is also sometimes confused in medieval tradition with Saint Denis of Paris (Dionysius of Paris), who was beheaded and is a patron of France.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Athens, Attica, Greece
Death location: Athens, Attica, Greece
Notable location: The city where he was converted by Saint Paul at the Areopagus; where he became the first bishop; where Paul delivered his famous Unknown God sermon (Acts 17) (Athens, Greece)
Notable location: The rocky outcrop where the Athenian council met and where Paul preached; the site of Dionysius's conversion; a major pilgrimage site in Athens (Areopagus (Mars' Hill), Athens, Greece)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Areopagus (Mars' Hill), Athens — the rocky outcrop where Paul preached and Dionysius was converted; a major pilgrimage site; a plaque with Acts 17:22–31 in Greek is at the base.
Feast day
October 3
Veneration
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite is venerated in the Greek Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches with a feast day on October 3.
Prayers
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