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The holy, glorious and right-victorious [[Hieromartyr]] '''Dionysius the Areopagite''' (also '''Dionysios''' or '''Denys''') was [[baptism|baptized]] by [[Saint]] [[Apostle_Paul|Paul]] in Athens and is numbered among the Seventy [[Apostles]]. Prior to this, Dionysius grew up in a notable family in Athens, attended philosophical school at home and abroad, was married with several children, and was a member of the highest court in Greece, the Areopagus. After his conversion to the True Faith, St. Paul made him His [[Bishopfeast day]] of Athens. Eventually he left his wife and children for [[Christ]] and went with St. Paul in [[missionary]] travel. He travelled to Jersusalem specifically to see the Most Holy [[Theotokos]] and writes of his encounter in one of his books. He was also present at her is celebrated on [[DormitionOctober 3]].

Seeing St==Life==Prior to his baptism, Dionysius grew up in a notable family in Athens, attended philosophical school at home and abroad, was married and had several children, and was a member of the highest court in Greece, the Areopagus. Paul martyred in RomeAfter his [[conversion]] to the True Faith, St. Dionysius desired to be a Paul made him [[martyrBishop]] as wellof Athens. He went to Gaul, along with Eventually he left his wife and children for [[presbyterChrist]] Rusticus and the went with St. Paul in [[deaconmissionary]] Eleutherius, travel. He travelled to Jerusalem specifically to preach see the Most Holy [[GospelTheotokos]] to the barbarians where and writes of his suffering was equalled only by encounter in one of his success in converting many pagans to Christianitybooks. He built a small church in Paris where the was also present at her [[Divine Liturgy|Divine ServicesDormition]] were celebrated.

In the year 96Seeing St. Paul [[martyr]]ed in Rome, St. Dionysius was seized and tortured for Christdesired to be a martyr as well. He went to Gaul, along with his [[presbyter]] Rusticus and the [[deacon]] Eleutherius, and all three were beheaded under the reign of to preach the Emperor Domitian. St. Dionysius' head rolled a rather long way until it came [[Gospel]] to the feet of Catula, a Christianbarbarians. She honorably buried it along with There his suffering was equalled only by his bodysuccess in [[conversion|converting]] many pagans to Christianity.

Many famous books are attributed to In the year 96, St. Dionysiuswas seized and tortured for Christ, including: ''The Divine Names of God''along with Rusticus and Eleutherius, ''Celestial and Ecclesiastical Hierarchies'' and ''Mystical Theology''all three were beheaded under the reign of the Emperor Domitian. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[October 3]]St. His Dionysius''Letter head rolled a rather long way until it came to Titus'' is quoted by St. [[John the feet of Damascus]] in his work ''On the Divine Images''Catula, a defense of [[icon]]s during the [[iconoclast|iconoclastic controveries]]Christian. She honorably buried it along with his body.

*Four theological works are attributed to Dionysius: ''The Divine Names of God''*, ''The Mystical Theology'', ''The Celestial Hierarchy'', and ''The Ecclesiastical HierarchiesHierarchy'', as well as eleven letters. While there were occasional questions raised regarding the true authorship of the Dionysian writings in the Middle Ages, it is Hugo Koch and Josef Stiglmayer's works (1895)<ref>"Proklus als Quelle des Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagita in der Lehre von Bösen," by Hugo Koch, ''Philologus'' 54 (1895) 438-54; ''Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagita in seinen Beziehungen zum Neuplatonismu und Mysterienweses'' by Hugo Koch (Mainz: 1900); and "Der Neuplatoniker Proklos als Vorlage des sog. Dionysius Areopagita in der Lehre vom Übel," by Josef Stiglmayr, ''Historisches Jahrbuch'' 16 (1895) 253-73 and 721-48. See also Stiglmayr's "Das Aufkommen der Ps.-Dionysischen Schriften und ihr Eindrungen in die christliche Literatur bis zum Lateranconcil 649. Ein zweiter Beitrag zur Dionysius Frage," ''IV Jahresbericht des offentlichen Privatgymnasiums an der Stelle matutina zu Feldkirch'' (Feldkirch: 1895)</ref> that definitively laid to rest the idea of tracing the texts back to the apostolic age. The scholarly consensus now identifies the corpus as the work of a fifth-century Syrian student of the pagan Neoplatonist Proclus.<ref>For more, see, for instance, [[Andrew Louth]], ''Denys the Areopagite'' (ISBN 082645772X), as well as [[Jaroslav Pelikan]], "The Odyssey of Dionysian Spirituality" in ''Pseudo-Dionysius: The Complete Works''(ISBN 0809128381)</ref> In his introduction to '*'Mystagogy: A Monastic Reading of Dionysius Areopagita'Mystical Theology', Orthodox Bishop [[Alexander Golitzin|Alexander (Golitzin)]] of Toledo writes that it is "now recognized as indefensible" that the author of the Dionysian writings could be the first century disciple of St Paul.<ref>(Collegeville, MN: Cistercian Publications, 2013) xxv.</ref> "The first clearly datable reference to the Dionysian corpus comes to us from …532…."<ref>Ibid., xix.</ref> Bishop Alexander's own suggestion is that the real author of the works was the fifth-century theologian Peter the Iberian.

Pseudo-Dionysius is recognized to be "employing Neoplatonic language to elucidate Christian theological and mystical ideas."<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dionysius_the_Areopagite&oldid= Source 221352184 Wikipedia: Dionysius the Areopagite]; cf. also [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pseudo-Dionysius_the_Areopagite&oldid=220002373 Wikipedia: Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite]</ref> Some recent Orthodox scholars (such as Frs. Georges Florovsky and John Meyendorff) have been mildly critical of the influence of the Dionysian corpus,<ref>Golitzin, xxvii.</ref> but recent defenders include Bp. (then-Igumen) [[Alexander Golitzin|Alexander]], mentioned above, who sees it as a fully Christian liturgical theology,<ref>Ibid., ''passim''. ''Mystagogy'' is a reworking and revision of Bp Alexander's earlier book ''Et introibo ad altare dei: The Mystagogy of Dionysius Areopagita.'' (Thessalonika: George Dedousis Publishing Co., 1994.)</ref> and [[Vladimir Lossky]], who sees the Dionysian interpretation of the unknowability of God as fundamental to any Christian thought and as setting the stage for the work of St. [[Nikolai VelimirovicGregory Palamas]].<ref>''The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church''. (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1997) ''passim''.</ref> However controversial the texts in recent years<ref>The Reformers were quite antagonistic, and their successors have continued to be. (Golitzin, xxii.)</ref>, their theology was incorporated into the mainstream of Orthodox theology through its adoption by St. [[Prologue Maximus the Confessor]] and St. [[John of OhridDamascus]], who quotes Dionysius'''Letter to Titus'' in his work ''On the Divine Images'', a defense of [[icon]]s during the [[iconoclast|iconoclastic controversies]].

==Hymns==[[Troparion]] (Tone 4):Having learned goodness and maintaining continence in all things,:you were arrayed with a good conscience as befits a priest.:From the chosen Vessel you drew ineffable mysteries;:you kept the faith, and finished a course equal to His.:Bishop martyr Dionysius, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.[[Kontakion]] (Tone 8):As a disciple of the apostle caught up to the third heaven,:you spiritually entered the gate of heaven, Dionysius.:You were enriched with understanding of ineffable mysteries:and enlightened those who sat in the darkness of ignorance.:Therefore we cry to you: Rejoice, universal Father! ==References==<references /> ==Source==*St. [[Nikolai Velimirovic]], ''The [[Prologue of Ohrid]]'' ==External Linkslinks==