The PriestMartyrs Dionysius (Denis), Bishop of Athens, Presbyter Rusticus and Deacon Eleutherius
Commemorated on October 3
The PriestMartyrs
Dionysius (Denis), Bishop of Athens, Presbyter Rusticus and Deacon Eleutherius
were killed at Lutetium (ancient name of Paris) in Gaul [modern-day France,
where Saint Dionysius is honoured as the patron saint of France, under the
French name-forms "Denis" or "Denys"]. This occurred in the
year 96 (another source suggests the year 110, during the time of persecution
under the Roman emperor Dometian (81-96). Saint Dionysius lived originally in
the city of Athens. He was raised there and received a fine classical Greek
education. He then set off to Egypt, where he studied astronomy at the city of
Heliopolis. Together with his friend Apollophonos he witnessed the solar
eclipse occurring at the moment of the death by Crucifixion on the Cross of the
Lord Jesus Christ. "Either now the Creator of all the world doth suffer,
or this visible world is coming to an end", – Dionysius said then. Upon
his return to Athens from Egypt, he was chosen to be a member of the Areopagus
Council (Athenian high court) ["Areo-pagus" means literally
Mars(Ares)-hill, a location in Athens anciently].
When the holy Apostle
Paul preached at the place of the Athenian Areopagus (Acts 17: 16-34),
Dionysius accepted his salvific proclamation and became a Christian [trans.
note: Dionysius was one of the few converts of Saint Paul at Athens. It is very
significant and highly symbolic that the pagan Greeks had situated at the Areopagus
the "altar to the Unknown God", Whom actually Saint Paul preached the
knowledge of. The subsequent "via negativa" or
"apophaticism" of Saint Dionysius is an especially important
contribution to both theology and philosophy]. Over the course of three years
Saint Dionysius remained a companion of the holy Apostle Paul in preaching the
Word of God. Later on, the Apostle Paul established him as bishop of the city
of Athens. And in the year 57 Saint Dionysius was present at the repose of
the MostHoly Mother of God.
Already during the
lifetime of the Mother of God, Saint Dionysius had journeyed especially from
Athens to Jerusalem, so as to meet Her. He wrote to his teacher the Apostle
Paul: "I witness by God, that besides the verymost God Himself, there be
naught else in such measure filled with Divine power and grace. No one amongst
mankind can fully grasp in mind, what I beheld. I confess before God: when I
was with John, who did shine out amidst the Apostles, like the sun in the sky
– when I was brought before the countenance of the MostHoly Virgin, I
experienced an inexpressible sensation. Before me gleamed a sort of Divine
radiance. It transfixed my spirit. I perceived the fragrance of indescribable
aromatics and was filled with such delight, that my very body became faint, and
my spirit fain but could bear these signs and marks of eternal beatitude and
Heavenly power. The grace from Her overwhelmed my heart, and shook my very
spirit. Had I not in mind thine instruction, I should have mistaken Her for the
very God. It is impossible to stand before greater blessedness than this, which
I then perceived".
After the death of
the Apostle Paul, and wanting to continue on with his work, Saint Dionysius set
off preaching into the Western lands, accompanied by the Presbyter Rusticus and
Deacon Eleutherius. They converted many to Christ at Rome, and then in Germany,
and then in Spain. In Gaul, during the time of a persecution against Christians
by the pagan authorities, all three confessors were arrested and thrown into
prison. By night Saint Dionysius made Divine Liturgy with co-serving Angels of
God. In the morning the martyrs were beheaded. According to an old tradition,
Saint Dionysius took up his head, proceeded with it to the church and only
there fell down dead. A pious woman named Catulla buried the remains of the
saint.
The writings of Saint
Dionysius the Areopagite hold great significance for the Orthodox Church. Four
books of his have survived into the present: "Concerning the Celestial
Hierarchy", "Concerning the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy",
"Concerning the Names of God", "Concerning Mystical
Theology"; additionally, there are ten letters to various persons.
The book,
"Concerning the Celestial Hierarchies", was written actually in one
of the countries of Western Europe, where Saint Dionysius was preaching. In it
is expounded the Christian teaching about the Angelic world. The Angelic (or
Celestial-Heavenly) hierarchy comprises the nine Angelic Ranks: Seraphim
("Seraphimy"), Cherubim ("Cheruvimy"), Thrones
("Prestoly"). Dominions ("Gospodstva"), Powers
("Sily"), Authorities ("Vlasti"), Principalities
("Nachala"), Archangels ("Arkhangely"), and Angels
("Angely"). (The account about the Sobor-Assemblage of the Bodiless
Powers of Heaven is located under 8 November).
The purpose of the
Divinely-established Angelic Hierarchy – is the ascent towards God-likeness
through purification, enlightenment and perfection. The highest ranks are
bearers and mediatory-sources of Divine Light and Divine life for the lower ranks.
And not only are the mind-endowed, bodiless Angelic hosts included in the
spiritual light‑bearing hierarchy, but also the human race, created anew
and sanctified in the Church of Christ.
The book of Saint
Dionysius, "Concerning the Ecclesiastical Hierarchies", is a
continuation of his book, "Concerning the Celestial Hierarchies". The
Church of Christ in its universal service is set upon the foundation, just like
the Angelic ranks, of sacerdotal principles established by God.
In the earthly world,
for the children of the Church, Divine grace comes down imperceptibly – in the
holy Sacraments of the Church, which are spiritual in nature, though
sense-perceptible in form. Only but few even amongst the holy ascetics were
able to behold with earthly eyes the fiery-visage in nature of the Holy
Mysteries of God. But outside of the Church sacraments, outside of Baptism and
the Eucharist, there is not the Light-bearing saving grace of God, – there is
neither Divine-knowledge ("Bogopoznanie") nor Theosis ("Obozhenie"
or Deification).
The book,
"Concerning the Names of God", expounds upon the way of
Divine-knowledge through a Saint John of the Ladder-like progression of the
Divine Names.
The book of Saint
Dionysius, "Concerning Mystical Theology", likewise sets forth the
teaching about Divine-knowledge. The theology of the Orthodox Church is totally
based upon what is experienced of Divine-knowledge. In order to know God – it is
necessary to be in propinquity to Him, to have some measure to come close nigh
unto Him, so as to attain to a condition of Communion-with-God
("Bogoobschenie") and Deification ("Theosis" or
"Obozhenie"). This condition is most of all accomplished by prayer.
This is not because prayer in itself brings us close to the Incomprehensible
God, but rather that the purity of heart in true prayer brings us in
appropinquity to God.
The written works of
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite (they are entitled "Areopagitic") are
of extraordinary significance in the Theology of the Orthodox Church [and also
for late Medieval Western theology]. And over the expanse of almost
four centuries – until the beginning of the VI Century, the works of this
holy father of the Church were preserved in an obscure manuscript tradition,
primarily by theologians of the Alexandrian Church. The concepts in these works
were known and utilised by Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Dionysios the Great
– pre-eminent figures of the catechetical school in Alexandria, and also by
Sainted Gregory the Theologian. Saint Dionysios of Alexandria wrote to Saint
Gregory the Theologian a Commentary on the "Areopagitum". The works
of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite received general Church recognition during
the VI-VII Centuries. Particularly relevant are the Commentaries written
on them by the Monk Maximos the Confessor (+ 662, the account about him is
under 21 January). [trans. note: although many scholars suggest that the
"Areopagitum" was actually written by an anonymous VI Century figure
who employed the in-antiquity common pious device of borrowing an illustrious
name, this in no way diminishes the profound theological significance of the
works, nor discredits the sainthood of the one, or possibly subsumed sainthood
of the other; it is of no essential relevance here outside of historical speculations,
the "ad authoritatem" methodology of which often are of questionable
veracity].
In the Russian
Orthodox Church the teachings of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite about the
spiritual sacerdotal-principles and Deification were at first known of through
the "Theology" of the Monk John Damascene (Comm. 4 December). The
first Slavonic translation of the "Areopagitum" was done on Athos in
about the year 1371 by a monk named Isaiah. Copies of it were widely
distributed in Russia. Many of them have been preserved to the present-day in
historic-manuscript collections – among which is a parchment manuscript
"Works of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite" belonging to
Sainted Kiprian, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus' (+ 1406) – in his own
handwriting.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.