Dionysius the Areopagite (Greek Î"ιονÏσιος ὠἈÏεοπαγίτης) was a judge of the Areopagus who, as related in the Acts of the Apostles, (Acts 17:34), was converted to Christianity by the preaching of the Apostle Paul during the Areopagus sermon. According to Dionysius of Corinth, quoted by Eusebius, this Dionysius then became the first Bishop of Athens.
Historic confusions
In the early 6th century, a series of famous writings of a mystical nature, employing Neoplatonic language to elucidate Christian theological and mystical ideas, was ascribed to the Areopagite. They have long been recognized as pseudepigrapha, and their author is now called "Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite".
Dionysius is believed to be misidentified with the martyr of Gaul, Dionysius, the first Bishop of Paris, Saint Denis. Since we cannot be sure which stories align with whom, in the Eastern Orthodox Church there is one commemoration for Dionysius the Areopagite and Saint Denis of Paris celebrated on 3 October.
See also
- St. Dionysus Institute in Paris
- Early centers of Christianity#Greece
References
- ^ Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiae III: iv
- ^ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on the confusion between Dionysius and Pseudo-Dionysius
Sources
- Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite entry by Kevin Corrigan and Michael Harrington in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
External links
- Works written by or about Dionysius the Areopagite at Wikisource
- Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite the Bishop of Athens Orthodox icon and synaxarion