Saint Denis, who was born and raised in Italy, was one of six bishops dispatched by Pope St. Clement to Gaul (present-day France) to serve as missionaries in the year 250 A.D.

Denis established his base of activity for his missionary work on an island in the Seine not far from the future city of Paris, Lutetia Parisiorum. He earned the titles of the Apostle of France and the first bishop of Paris as a result. Together with Rusticus and Eleutherius, he was taken prisoner there by the Parisians. Although we do not know anything more about them, later writers have referred to them as Denis' priest and deacon or his deacon and sub-deacon.

The three martyrs were beheaded with a sword for their Christian faith in 258 on what is known as the "Montmartre" or mount of martyrs, following a lengthy captivity and multiple aborted executions. Then, their dead bodies were tossed into the river. His followers pulled Denis' body from the Seine and buried it. Over his tomb, a chapel was constructed, and it eventually became Saint-Denis Abbey.

The image of Denis depicts him as a martyr, carrying his own mitred head while being headless (with a vine growing over his neck).

Denis is the patron saint of France and has been revered as a special saint of Paris from the time of St. Gregory.

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