09 October - Denis was a bishop who lived in the third century. He was born in Italy and ordained priest and bishop and was sent by the Pope to preach the Gospel in Gaul, together with five other bishops.

He successfully completed the mission, accompanied by the Rustic priest and the deacon Eleutherus. When they arrived in Lutetia (Paris), they set up a centre of evangelisation on a small island where Notre-Dame de Paris is located today. During the reign of Emperor Dèce, from 250 to 252, Denis was persecuted for his work of evangelisation. He was imprisoned and then beheaded. Historians each have their own way of telling their story, but according to the Golden Legend, Denis was first beaten with a whip, then imprisoned and shackled, before being placed on a glowing grid and thrown to the beasts. However, this did not kill him. Denis was again tortured on the cross and then sent back to prison. There he celebrated Mass with the other imprisoned Christians, and there he saw Christ, bringing him communion. It should be noted that Denis was the first bishop of Paris, and his companions Rustic and Eleutherus were executed and buried with him.