St Denis and his companions who were martyred in France in the third century are the saints for the day. Like many martyrs from the early Church, not a lot of hard facts are known about them, but a lot of legends and stories from been passed down about them, showing the impact their lives of faith have made on the Catholic faithful. Tradition passes down that he was sent from Rome to Paris, where he served as Bishop. He was martyred by means of decapitation. He was martyred under the persecutions of the Roman emperors in the middle of the 3rd century. He is regarded as a patron of the French people and the city of Paris. The great abbey church in Paris was constructed to honor him and his life of faith.
Our psalm states today: “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade.” Back in the days of the Early Church, all of the saints were martyrs, which makes sense since this was a time of great persecution. The martyrs were willing to give up their lives for their faith and for their Lord and Savior because of the hope they place in the kingdom of God and the eternal life to come. That is why the memory of saints like St Denis has been passed down to us today. May we unite our prayers with the prayer of St Denis and his companions.
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