Saint Dionysios the Areopagite in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

1. Saint Dionysios, who surpassed all others in wealth, glory, prudence, and wisdom, was one of the members of the Council of the Areopagus in Athens. He heard the Apostle Paul preaching when he came to Athens and through him believed in Christ, was baptized, and afterward was ordained bishop of the city, having first been initiated into the mysteries of the faith by the wise Hierotheos. He left us writings that are extraordinary, wondrous, and of the highest order.

After the Saint had interpreted the form of the ecclesiastical order, he then went to the West, when Domitian was emperor. In the city of Paris, in particular, he performed many miracles, and there he was beheaded. One miracle that many witnessed was that, after his martyrdom, he walked for a distance of two miles while holding his severed head in his hands. He did not stop until he encountered, certainly by divine providence, a woman named Catula, into whose palms he placed his head as though it were a treasure. Two of his disciples, Rusticus and Eleutherius, were beheaded together with him, whereupon the bodies of these Saints, together with the martyred body of the sacred preacher, were thrown as prey to the beasts and birds. Some of the faithful then took the relics of the Saints and deposited them in a hidden place, because of the fear that existed on account of the persecutors. When the fear of the persecutions had ceased, the blessed Catula deposited the relics of the martyrs in a building, on the third day of the month of October.

Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 3

The Month of October

Day 3

34. The Lord Is Infinitely Merciful Even toward Sinners

(The Story of Saint Dionysius about Saint Carpos and the Two Sinners)

The Lord says: “I do not desire the death of a sinner” (Ezekiel 33:11). How are we to understand this? In our opinion, it should be understood in this way: the mercy of God is infinitely great; it is great both toward all people in general and, in particular, toward sinners. How, then, can this latter truth be proven, and how can we become convinced of it? It can easily be proven and understood through the following example.

Saint Carpos, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, was once greatly angered by a pagan who had led a Christian astray into his ungodliness. He rose at midnight to pray, but at first he could not even turn his mind to prayer. Carpos thought: “Can it really be in accordance with the justice of God that ungodly people live peacefully on the earth and corrupt the ways of the Lord?” Then he began to ask God to send fire from heaven that would consume both the pagan and the Christian whom he had led astray. 

 

Divine Justice According to Saint Dionysius the Areopagite

 

This speech was delivered on October 3, 2022 in the Senate Hall of the Old Parliament in Athens, to the members of the Association of Judges and Prosecutors.

The Metropolitan structured his speech into three sections. The first section referred to laws and justice according to Aristotle and Plato. The second section analyzed the theological system of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, and the third section made a special statement about divine justice in Saint Dionysius the Areopagite.

The whole theological system of Saint Dionysius is that God as Light sends His rays to creation, then all creation is attracted by God in different ways and this is how divine justice is expressed, according to God's will.

He concluded that there is a difference between human and divine justice, that those of us who judge cannot absolutely approach divine justice, but we should move between human and divine justice, that is, to be a little above human justice and to seek divine justice.

October: Day 3: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Dionysius the Areopagite

 

October: Day 3: Teaching 1:
Holy Martyr Dionysius the Areopagite
 
(Who Will Inherit Eternal Life?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, whose memory is celebrated today, was born in the city of Athens. Having received an education in the best Athenian school, Dionysius was not satisfied with the knowledge he had acquired and went to Egypt to study the wisdom of their priests and especially astronomy. While there, he saw an unusual eclipse of the sun that accompanied the death of the Savior and said: "God Himself is probably suffering." Upon returning to Athens, he was elected to the highest judicial seat - the Areopagus, which is why he is called "Areopagite." When the Apostle Paul visited Athens, he appeared before the Areopagus and began to preach Christ crucified, and told Dionysius about the God unknown to him, the Savior of the world. Dionysius was baptized, quickly began to succeed in the knowledge of the true God and was appointed Bishop of Athens. He was honored to be at the death of the Mother of God, and then went to preach in different countries. Having entered Gaul, he was beheaded with the sword in the city of Paris.

The Great Dionysios (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

Since the works of Saint Dionysios the Areopagite appeared in the 6th century AD until today, Orthodox Tradition has adopted them completely and has integrated them into her entire tradition. She believes that these famous writings were written by Saint Dionysios the Areopagite and somehow, as similarly happened with other texts, they were found later and presented to the Church after many years.

Since then they made a great impression. Saint Dionysios was considered a very great theologian. Leontios of Byzantium used them. Saint Maximos the Confessor interpreted them, he also refuted the first arguments that were formulated then against their authorship. They were accepted by the later Fathers, such as Saint Anastasios the Sinaite, Saint John the Damascene, Saint Theodore the Studite, Saint Niketas Stethatos, all the Philokalic Fathers, especially Saint Gregory Palamas. Saint Symeon the New Theologian was influenced by them, even if he makes no mention of it. Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite used them, etc.

SAINT DIONYSIOS THE AREOPAGITE: The all-wise hierarch and patron saint of Athens who died in Athens by fire

By Aristeides G. Theodoropoulos

Among the first Athenians who embraced our Lord Jesus Christ after the fiery sermon on the crucifixion and resurrection by the Apostle to the Nations Paul in 51 AD on the Areopagus of pagan Athens, with its magnificent marble temples and elaborate statues, was Saint Dionysios the Areopagite, this leading judge and president of the Supreme Court, who after his conversion to Christianity became a "fit vessel of the All-Holy Spirit," was granted to behold the immaculate and life-begetting body of the Most Holy Theotokos, and with his martyrdom by fire he became the heir of the Heavenly Kingdom in order to intercede to God for the salvation of all Christians.

Saint Dionysios the Areopagite, honored on October 3rd, the glorious hieromartyr of Christ, was born in the eponymous city of Athens around the end of the first decade of the 1st century. His parents were pagans of aristocratic origin and financial prosperity, which contributed to his obtaining an excellent education. His rich education, famous eloquence and virtuous state made him a wise Athenian aristocrat and one of the nine wise and impartial Areopagites of great fame and prominence in Athenian society. That's why he was characterized as having "managed justice in a balanced manner, and ruled over Athens most uprightly" (Michael Synkellos, Oration on Dionysios the Areopagite). In fact, according to ancient tradition, he emerged as a leading judge and president of the Supreme Court.