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[[Image:Dionysioszakynthos.jpg|rightthumb|thumb200px|St. Dionysius of Zakynthos]][[Image:DionysiosZakynthos.jpg|thumb|200px|St. Dionysios's relics]]Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Dionysius of Zakynthos''' was born in 1547 on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian Sea. Before becoming a monk his name was ''Draganigos Sigouros''. He was educated by [[priest]]s and became fluent in Greek, Italian, and Latin. He excelled in theology and , became a monk in 1568, received his first degree of [[ordination]] as the a priest Daniel in 1570as ''Daniel''; he later became [[hieromonk]] of Zakynthos and Strofades. In 1577 he was raised to [[Archbishop]] of Aegina. After and Poros and after a year at Aegina he returned to abdicated from this dignity and settled in Zakynthos, where he was appointed bishop and presidentas an abbot of a monastery. In 1622 he went into solitude, and on [[December 17]] , 1622 he fell asleep in the Lord . He had asked to be buried in this monastery and was buriedhis grave is still to be found in the chapel of St George; a dependent of the monastery. However, it  It has been found that his body remains intact and emits a mixed fragrance of flowers and frankincense. Therefore he is [[veneration|venerated]], and his sainthood has been proclaimed by the [[Patriarch of Constantinople]]. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on December 17, and on [[August 24]], the Church celebrates the transfer of his holy [[relics]].

A man came to St. Dionysius's cell and begged the saint to hide him from his pursuers. When St. Dionysius asked the man him why he was being pursued, the man told him that he had killed a [[monk]], man. The murderer did not know that he had killed the saint's own beloved brotherConstantine. St. Dionysius was very grieved but hid the man and did not surrender him to the law. The Instead he instructed him and brought him to repentance. According to local tradition, the murderer later repented and became a monk himselfat that same monastery.

For example, when the Greek Orthodox Church of St. [[George the Trophy-bearerNicholas_of_Myra|GeorgeNicholas]] was destroyed on [[September 11]], 2001, during the World Trade Center attack, only two things were recovered intact: a [[cross]] and a paper [[icon]] of Dionysios.

Dionysius rests ===The ''other'' "Walking Saints" of the Ionian Islands===* St. [[Spyridon of Trimythous|Spyridon of Trimythous the Wonderworker]] from Corfu* St. [[Gerasimos of Cephalonia|Gerasimos]] from Cephalonia =="Housing of the Relic"==In 1717, the monks, of the monastery of Strofades, moved the Saints relic and placed it inside the metochi <ref> A building that belongs to a religious institution. </ref> of Kalliteros in order to protect him from various destructive invasions by pirates in the area. At a later date, a church which bears was built in his name honour in Zakynthosthe Ammos area and shortly converted into a monastery. Later, in 1764, where opening his tomb is often found impossiblethe church of the monastery was rebuilt and in 1854 a steeple added to the church. It appears as though In 1893, all this occurs was destroyed by a major earthquake and a temporary church constructed to house the Saint until in 1925 there took place a foundation ceremony to rebuild an earthquake-resistant church; fully completed by 1948.<ref> The Church was designed by [[Anastasios Orlandos]]. </ref> In 1953, when Dionysius is out performing miraclesthe next major earthquake hit the island, the church remained untouched and was used as a refugee for the homeless. AfterwardsThree years later, when a new monastery was built to replace the ruins and has since been called "The Holy Monastery of Strofades and Saint Dionysios". =="The Larnaka"==Among the works of art inside the church of the tomb can be opened''Holy Monastery of Strofades and Saint Dionysios'', seaweed stands the silver-sculptured "Larnaka" (grave) of the Saint. It was designed by a priest named Nikolaos Kantounis and depicts the dormition of Dionysios who is found at his feet surrounded by many priests. It was made in 1829 by George Diamantis Bafas and his slippers are found is placed in a separate room to the church to be worn thinthe right of the Sacred Gate. In fact During the invasion of the pirates in 1717, both hands of the Saint were cut off by the pirates, however, due to a miracle did not manage to destroy his slippers need continual replacement because they receive so much wearHoly Body. He is often seen alive and walkingAll of his relics are still kept in the larnaka.  ==Notes==<references/>

*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=/342 Dionysios of Zakynthos] ([[GOARCH]])