Dionysius

DIONYSIUS (dī-ŏnĭsh'i-ŭs). A member of the Areopagus, the Athenian supreme court; mentioned as one of Paul’s converts at Athens (Acts.17.34).

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of corinth) (c.180. Bishop of Corinth. A man of considerable influence, he was credited by Eusebius with seven epistles to various churches. These are of encouragement and admonition, and include an attack on Marcion, the information that Clement's epistle was read in the Corinthian church, and that Dionysius the Areopagite was the first bishop of Athens.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

One of the few Athenians converted by Paul (Ac 17:34). We know nothing further about him (see Areopagus). According to one account he was the first bishop of the church at Athens; according to another he suffered martyrdom in that city under Domitian. We are even told that he migrated to Rome and was sent to Paris, where he was beheaded on Montmartre (Mount of the Martyr). The patron saint of France is Denys; compare the French "Denys d’Halicarnasse" (Dionysius of Halicarnassus). The mystical writings which were circulated in the Middle Ages and are still extant, are pronounced by the best authorities to be forgeries, and date from a period not earlier than the 5th century.