St. Denis
Patron Saint of France
St. Denis was the Bishop of Paris in the third century. He and two of his priests were condemned to death because of their Christian faith, which was illegal at the time. As the legend goes, when St. Denis’ head was cut off, his body reached down to pick it up. St. Denis then walked to a village twelve miles away, holding his head in his arms and preaching Christ to those he encountered along the way. Denis finally died when he reached the village. Saints dedicate their lives and deaths to sharing Christ with others, and even in his death, Denis continued to share Christ with those who wanted to kill him.