The Feast is a Celebration of Mary's Motherhood of Jesus. The English Title "Mother of God" is a translation of the Latin Title Dei Genetrix, which means "She Who Generated God", as the corresponding Greek Title Θεοτόκος (Theotokos) means "She Who Gave Birth to God". This Title was dogmatically adopted at The First Council of Ephesus, in 431 A.D., as a way to assert that Jesus is God, and that his Mother can therefore be called Mother of God. The Title that The Feast Celebrates is, thus, not only Mariological, but also Christological.
"Ave Maris Stella" (Hail, Star of the Sea)
is the Hymn at Vespers for The Feast of The Maternity of The Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Second Vatican Council stated: "Clearly, from earliest times, The Blessed Virgin is honoured under the Title of Mother of God." and, at an early stage, The Church in Rome celebrated on 1 January a Feast that it called The Anniversary (Natale) of The Mother of God. When this was overshadowed by The Feasts of The Annunciation and The Assumption, adopted from Constantinople at the start of the 7th-Century A.D., 1 January began to be Celebrated simply as The Octave Day of Christmas, the "eighth day", on which, according to Luke 2:21, The Child was Circumcised and given the name "Jesus".
In the 13th- or 14th-Century, 1 January began to be Celebrated in Rome, as already in Spain and Gaul, as The Feast of The Circumcision of The Lord and The Octave of The Nativity, while still oriented towards Mary and Christmas, with many Prayers, Antiphons and Responsories glorifying The Maternity of Mary. Pope Saint John XXIII's 1960 Rubrical and Calendrical Revision removed the mention of The Circumcision of Jesus and called 1 January, simply, The Octave of The Nativity.
The Feast of "The Maternity of The Blessed Virgin Mary" was established in Portugal, in 1914, for Celebration on 11 October, and was extended to the entire Catholic Church by Pope Pius XI in 1931. The 1969 Revision of The Liturgical Year and The Calendar states: "1 January, The Octave Day of The Nativity of The Lord, is The Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God, and also The Commemoration of the conferral of The Most Holy Name of Jesus." It removed the 11 October Feast, even for Portugal, stating: "The Maternity of The Blessed Virgin Mary is Celebrated on 1 January in The Solemnity of Mary, The Mother of God." (The 11 October Feast is now Celebrated only by some Traditionalist Catholic individuals and groups.)
"Ave Maris Stella" (Hail, Star of the Sea)
is the Hymn at Vespers for The Feast of The Maternity of The Blessed Virgin Mary.
In his Apostolic Letter, Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI explained: "This Celebration is meant to Commemorate the part played by Mary in this Mystery of Salvation. It is meant also to exalt the singular dignity which this Mystery brings to The "Holy Mother . . . through whom we were found worthy to receive The Author of Life."
Roman Catholic Mariology is the systematic study of the person of The Blessed Virgin Mary and of her place in the economy of Salvation, within the Theology of The Catholic Church.
In the Catholic perspective, Mary has a precise place in the plan of Salvation and a special place within Tradition and Devotion. She is seen as having a singular dignity, and receives a higher level of Veneration than all other Saints. Roman Catholic Mariology thus studies not only her life, but also the Veneration of her in daily life, Prayer, Hymns, Art (where she has been a favourite topic), Music, and Architecture in Modern and Ancient Christianity throughout the ages.
The development of Mariology is on-going and, since the beginning, it has continued to be shaped by Theological analyses, writings of Saints, and Papal Statements, e.g., while two Marian Dogmas are ancient, the other two were defined in the 19th- and 20th-Centuries; and Papal Teachings on Mary have continued to appear in recent times.
The following Text is from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal.
Mass: Ecce Virgo Concipiet.
Credo: Is said.
Preface: Of The Virgin Mary: Et te in Festivitáte.
Hymn at Vespers: Ave Maris Stella.
Painting of The Battle of Rorke's Drift, which took place in Natal, South Africa, during The Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. De Neuville based the painting on eye witness accounts and it depicts several events of the Battle occurring at once. Defenders depicted in the painting are: Lieutenant John Chard (to the Right at the barrier, in pale breeches, with rifle); Corporal Scammell, of The Natal Native Contingent, incorrectly shown in The Uniform of The 24th Regiment of Foot, or Corporal William Allen (handing cartridges to Chard); Corporal Ferdinand Schiess (wearing a Bandoleer, and stabbing a Zulu at the barrier with his Bayonet); Chaplain George Smith (bearded man handing out cartridges from a haversack); Acting Assistant Commissary James Dalton (sat in foreground with a wounded shoulder); Surgeon James Reynolds (attending to Dalton's wound); Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead (stood in the centre of the painting pointing to his Left); Private Frederick Hitch (stood behind Bromhead); Private Henry Hook (carrying Private John Connolly on his back, away from the burning hospital); Assistant Commissary Walter Dunne (to the Left, holding a Biscuit Box). (Sources: David, Saul [2005]. Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of The Zulu War of 1879 ISBN 9780141015699; Knight, Ian [1996] Rorke's Drift 1879: "Pinned Like Rats in a Hole". ISBN 9781855325067).
Source: The Flags of the World: Their History, Blazonry, and Associations.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia.
The South Wales Borderers were a Line InfantryRegiment of The British Army, in existence for 280 years. They first came into existence, as The 24th Regiment of Foot, in 1689. Based at Brecon, Wales, The Regiment recruited from The Border Counties of Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, and Brecknockshire, but were not called The South Wales Borderers until The Childers Reforms of 1881.
The Regiment were formed by Sir Edward Dering, 3rd Baronet, as Sir Edward Dering's Regiment of Foot, in 1689, becoming known, like other Regiments, by the names of its subsequent Colonels.
British Infantryman of The 24th Regiment of Foot in 1742.
The Regiment were part of the amphibious expedition to The Caribbean, and participated in the disastrous British defeat at The Battle of Cartagena de Indias, in March 1741, during The War of Jenkins' Ear. The Regiment were ranked as 24th in The Infantry Order Of Precedence, in 1747, and became The 24th Regiment of Foot, in 1751.
The Regiment took part in The Siege of Fort Saint Philip, in Menorca, Spain, in April 1756, during The Seven Years' War. It was also part of the amphibious expedition against, or descent on, the Coast of France, and participated in the British defeat at The Battle of Saint Cast, in September 1758.
In June 1776, The Regiment was sent to Quebec, Canada, where it subsequently fought American rebels who had invaded the Province during their War of Independence. The Regiment were part of the 5,000 British and Hessian force, under the command of General John Burgoyne, that surrendered to the American rebels in The Saratoga Campaign, in Summer 1777, and remained imprisoned until 1783. In 1782, it became The 24th (The 2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot.
In Honoured Memory of Private James Cooper V.C., a Plaque in Warstone Lane Cemetery, Birmingham, England. Private James Cooper V.C. 1840 – 1882, 2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot. Who gained his Country's highest Award for Valour on 7 May 1867, in The Andaman Islands / Bay of Bengal, and is buried in Warstone Lane Cemetery, Birmingham, England.
The Regiment were deployed to Egypt in the aftermath of The Battle of Abukir, in March 1801; The 2nd Battalion was raised in 1804, which suffered heavy losses at The Battle of Talavera, in July 1809, during The Peninsular War. The vast majority of The 1st Battalion were captured at sea by the French at the Action of 3 July 1810, near The Comoro Islands: The 1st Battalion of The 24th Regiment of Foot had been on The East Indiamen, Astell, Ceylon and Windham, when a French Frigate Squadron captured the last two ships. They were released the following year.
The 1st Battalion took part in The Anglo-Nepalese War, November 1814. The Regiment were deployed to Canada in 1829 and remained there until 1842.
Marble Memorial at Saint John's Church, Jhelum, Pakistan, In Memory of the Soldiers of The 24th Regiment of Foot, killed there in July 1857 during The Indian Mutiny.
The Regiment returned to India in 1846 and saw action at The Battle of Chillianwala, in January 1849, where The Regiment fought off the enemy with bayonets, rather than rifles, and 255 of its men died during The Second Anglo-Sikh War.
Meanwhile, five Victoria Crosses were awarded to men of The Regiment, who rescued their colleagues from cannibals on The Andaman Islands, India, in May 1857. Some thirty-five soldiers of The Regiment were killed by mutineers at their garrison in Jhelum, Pakistan, in July 1857, during The Indian Rebellion.
Zulu War.
In 1879, both Battalions took part in The Anglo-Zulu War, begun after a British invasion of Zululand, ruled by Cetshwayo. The 24th Regiment of Foot took part in The Crossing of The Buffalo River on 11 January 1879, entering Zululand. The first engagement (and the most disastrous for the British) came at Isandlwana. The British had pitched Camp at Isandlwana and not established any fortifications due to the sheer size of the Force, the hard ground, and a shortage of entrenching tools.
The 24th Regiment of Foot provided most of the British Force and, when the overall Commander, Lord Chelmsford, split his Forces on 22 January to search for the Zulus, the 1st Battalion (five Companies) and a Company of the 2nd Battalion were left behind to guard the Camp, under the Command of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Pulleine (Commanding Officer of The 1/24th Foot).
A Zulu force of some 20,000 warriors attacked a portion of the British Main Column, consisting of about 1,800 British, Colonial, and Native Troops, and perhaps 400 Civilians. During the battle, Lieutenant-Colonel Pulleine ordered Lieutenants Coghill and Melvill to save The Queen's Colour —the Regimental Colour was located at Helpmekaar, with
G Company. The two Lieutenants attempted to escape by crossing The Buffalo River, where The Colour fell and was lost downstream, later being recovered. Both Officers were killed. At this time, The Victoria Cross (VC) was not awarded posthumously. This changed in the early 1900s when both Lieutenants were awarded posthumous Victoria Crosses for their bravery. The Battle of Isandlwana was dramatised in the 1979 movie "Zulu Dawn".
After The Battle of Isandlwana, some 4,000 to 5,000 Zulus headed for Rorke's Drift, a small Missionary Post garrisoned by a Company of The 2/24th Regiment Of Foot, Native Levies, and others, under the command of Lieutenant Chard, Royal Engineers. The Most Senior Officer of The 24th Regiment of Foot present being Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead. Two Boer Cavalry Officers, Lieutenants Adendorff and Vane, arrived to inform the garrison of the defeat at Isandlwana. The Acting Assistant Commissary, James Dalton, persuaded Bromhead and Chard to stay, and the small garrison frantically prepared rudimentary fortifications.
The Zulus first attacked at 4:30 p.m. Throughout the day, the garrison was attacked from all sides, including rifle fire from the heights above the garrison, and bitter hand-to-hand fighting often ensued. At one point, the Zulus entered the hospital, which was stoutly defended by the wounded inside, until it was set alight and eventually burnt down. The battle raged on into the early hours of 23 January, but, by Dawn, the Zulu Army had withdrawn. Lord Chelmsford and a Column of British Troops arrived soon afterwards.
The garrison had suffered fifteen killed during the battle (two died later) and eleven defenders were awarded The Victoria Cross for their distinguished defence of The Post, seven Victoria Crosses going to Soldiers of The 24th Foot. The Stand at Rorke's Drift was immortalised in the 1964 Movie "Zulu".
The Third Anglo-Burmese War And The Second Boer War.
The Regiment was not fundamentally affected by The Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, which gave it a Depot at The Barracks, Brecon, Wales, from 1873, or by The Childers Reforms of 1881 – as it already possessed two Battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another Regiment.
Under The Reforms, The 24th Regiment Of Foot had its name changed, and became The South Wales Borderers on 1 July 1881. This, understandably, led to The Regiment having close links with South Wales. The 2nd Battalion was deployed to Burma and saw action in November 1885 during The Third Anglo-Burmese War. The 2nd Battalion then arrived in Cape Colony South Africa, in early February 1900, and saw action at The Battle of Elands River in September 1901 during The Second Boer War.
A 3rd (Militia) Battalion, formed of the former Royal South Wales Borderers Militia, was embodied in January 1900, and the following month embarked for Service in South Africa, arriving in Cape Town on the SS Cheshire in March 1900. A 4th (Militia) Battalion, formed of the former Royal Montgomery Rifles, was embodied in May 1900 and disembodied in December the same year.
In 1908, The Volunteers and Militia were re-organised Nationally, with the former becoming The Territorial Force and the latter The Special Reserve; The Regiment now had one Reserve Battalion and one Territorial Battalion.
First World War.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sidney John Wilkinson, 10th Battalion, The South Wales Borderers, Killed-in-Action during The First World War. Lt-Colonel Wilkinson was educated at Wellington School. He received his Commission to The West Yorkshire Regiment in 1900 and served in The Second Anglo-Boer War. In 1910, he achieved the Rank of Captain. As Lieutenant-Colonel, he transferred to The Welsh Regiment and, subsequently, to The South Wales Borderers. Lt-Colonel Wilkinson was Posted to The Western Front in 1915. He was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded The Distinguished Service Order in January 1916. He was Killed-in-Action on 7 July 1916 during The Battle of the Somme. He is Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial.
Faces of the First World War.
Find out more about this First World War Centenary Project at www.1914.org/faces
1/1st Brecknockshire Battalion landed in Bombay, India, as part of 44th (Home Counties) Division, in October 1914, and moved to Aden in December 1914, before returning to Bombay in August 1915.
6th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) landed at Le Havre, as part of 76th Brigade, 25th Division, in September 1915, for Service on The Western Front. 7th (Service) Battalion and 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, as part of 67th Brigade, 22nd Division, in September 1915, for Service on The Western Front, but moved to Salonika, Greece, in October 1915.
10th (Service) Battalion (1st Gwent) and 11th (Service) Battalion (2nd Gwent) landed at Le Havre as part of 115th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division, in December 1915, for Service on The Western Front. 12th (Service) Battalion (3rd Gwent) landed at Le Havre as part of 119th Brigade, 40th Division, in June 1916, for Service on The Western Front. Welsh Poet and Language Activist, Saunders Lewis, Served in The 12th Battalion during The First World War.
The Seven-Button Tunic for The 24th Regiment of Foot (South Wales Borderers), circa 1879, which was worn for "Home Service". All the features of the Jackets are the same as the originals. All the Lace and Linings are to original grade specification. Price includes Sword/Belt Hook support. These superb Replicas are made with Military Grade Wool. Unfortunately, Collar Badges are currently unavailable.
The 1st Battalion embarked for Ireland, in June 1920, to maintain order during The Irish War of Independence, and to Waziristan, in February 1937, in connection with disturbances on The Frontier. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion was deployed to Palestine, in 1936, returning home at the end of the year.
Second World War.
The 1st Battalion, as part of 10th Indian Infantry Division, were sent to Iraq to quell a German-inspired uprising in November 1941. The Battalion saw subsequent service in Iran. The Battalion sustained enormous casualties in Libya, near Tobruk, when they lost around 500 Officers and Men, captured or killed during a General Retreat.
The Battalion found itself cut off when the German Forces outflanked them. The Commanding Officer, Lt.-Col. F. R. G. Matthews, decided to attempt to escape around the enemy and break through to British Lines. It turned into a disaster, with only four Officers and around one hundred Men reaching Sollum. To the surprise of the survivors, the Battalion was ordered to disband in Cyprus, and the remnants of the Battalion were transferred, with the exception of a small Cadre that returned to The United Kingdom, to 1st Battalion, The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). A few months later, the Battalion was re-formed from the Cadre and 4th Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment
Upon the outbreak of The Second World War, in September 1939, 2nd Battalion was serving in Derry, Northern Ireland, under command of Northern Ireland District, having been there since December 1936. In December 1939, the Battalion left Northern Ireland and was sent to join 148th Infantry Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division, a Territorial Formation. In April 1940, the Battalion was again transferred to the newly-created 24th Guards Brigade (Rupertforce), and took part in The Norwegian Campaign, and were among the first British Troops to see Action against The German Army in The Second World War.
The Norwegian Campaign failed, and The 24th Guards Brigade (Rupert Force) had to be evacuated. Casualties in The Battalion, however, had been remarkably light, with only thirteen wounded and six killed, and two Distinguished Conduct Medals (DCMs) had been awarded.
The 2nd Battalion returned to The United Kingdom, and, on 7 December 1941 (the day The United States entered The War), transferred to 37th Independent Infantry Brigade (re-designated 7th Infantry Brigade the day after).
The 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division was an InfantryDivision of The British Army that saw distinguished Service in The Second World War. Pre-War, the Division was part of The Territorial Army (TA) and the two Ts in The Divisional Insignia represent the three main rivers of its recruitment area, namely the Rivers Tyne, Tees and Humber.
Afterwards, 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, enjoyed a short rest, and, on 22 September 1944, moved to join the rest of 21st Army Group fighting in Belgium. In October 1944, shortly after the failure of Operation Market Garden, the Division was sent to garrison 'The Island', the area of land between Arnhem and Nijmegen, where it remained throughout the Winter of 1944.
The last major Action for the 2nd Battalion was in April 1945, when, with the rest of the Division, they fought in The Second Battle of Arnhem. The Battalion ended its War in Germany, and remained there, as part of The Occupation Forces, until 1948, when it returned home.
The Band of The 1/24th Regiment of Foot, photographed in 1878 in South Africa, played cheery, morale-boosting melodies as The Regiment marched to The Killing Fields of Zululand. Out of the entire Band, only two Bandsmen survived.
1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, were deployed to Palestine to deal with the volatile uprising there in October 1945, and then moved to Cyprus, in April 1946. The 2nd Battalion was disbanded in May 1948 as a consequence of Defence Cuts implemented shortly after The Second World War.
The Regiment deployed to The Sudan in March 1949 and became part of the Occupation Force in Eritrea, a former Italian Colony that was ruled by a British Military Administration, in January 1950. The Regiment arrived in Brunswick, West Germany, as part of British Army of The Rhine (BAOR), in January 1953, and was then deployed to Malaya, in December 1955, as part of the response to The Malayan Emergency.
The Regiment's conduct during The Malayan Emergency compelled Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer, a distinguished British Officer and a man who was instrumental in the defeat of the Communist Terrorists during The Emergency, to state that: "There has been no better Regiment in Malaya during the ten years of The Emergency and very few as good".
The Regiment were Posted to Minden, Germany, in June 1959, and returned home three years later. It arrived at Stanley Fort, in Hong Kong, in November 1963, to perform Internal Security Duties. It returned home to Lydd, in Kent, in June 1966, before deploying to Aden, in January 1967. The Regiment were amalgamated with The Welch Regiment, to form The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot), in June 1969.
After providing for the settlement of his children, Saint Francis entered The Society of Jesus, where, despising all honours, he made a Vow out of Humility (Collect) to refuse all dignities., But, for obedience sake, he had to accept the Post of General of The Society. He died in 1572.
Francis Borgia. Duke of Gandia and Captain-General of Catalonia, was one of the handsomest, richest, and most honoured nobles in Spain, when, in 1539, there was laid upon him the sad duty of escorting the remains of his Sovereign, Queen Isabella, to the Royal Burying-Place at Granada. The coffin had to be opened for him that he might verify the body before it was placed in the tomb, and so foul a sight met his eyes that he vowed never again to serve a Sovereign who could suffer so base a change.
It was some years before he could follow The Call of his Lord; at length, he entered The Society of Jesus, to cut himself off from any chance of dignity or preferment. But his Order chose him to be its Head. The Turks were threatening Christendom, and Pope Saint Pius V sent his nephew to gather Christian Princes into a League for its defence.
The Holy Pope chose Francis to accompany him, and, worn out though he was, the Saint obeyed at once. The fatigues of the embassy exhausted what little life was left. Saint Francis died on his return to Rome, 10 October 1572.
REFLECTION.—Saint Francis Borgia learnt the worthlessness of Earthly greatness at the funeral of Queen Isabella. Do the deaths of friends teach us aught about ourselves ?
This Article is taken from, and can be read in full at, BBC NEWS
Artist Eleanor Crow's watercolours, celebrating the beauty of London's
classic shopfronts, are going
on display in the Capital.
Arthur's Café, Kingsland Road, Dalston.
Arthur Woodham opened his own Café in 1948, having previously
worked in his father's Café of the same name just down the road.
Young Arthur ran his for seventy years until he was ninety,
along with his wife, Eileen, and, in recent years, grandson James.
Spotless, and serving up home-cooked breakfasts, followed by
traditional lunches with hand-cut chips, this celebrated destination
was frequented by loyal customers for seven decades until its closure in 2018.
Barneys Seafood, Chamber Street, Tower Bridge.
Tucked under a railway arch near the Tower of London, this legendary eel, fish and shellfish shop attracts hordes of East Enders, eager for eels freshly boiled on the premises.
The founder, Barney Gritzman, was the brother of Solly Gritzman, owner
of the famous Tubby Isaac's jellied eel stall. Barney opened his business before
the start of World War Two and it has been run by the Button family,
trading under the name Barneys, since 1970.
C. W. Tyzack, Kingsland Road, Shoreditch.
Cecil Tyzack founded his business in 1936 and his shop, further down
the Kingsland Road than Arthur's Café, is still open, although
it is no longer owned by the Tyzacks. The family name lives on as a
hand- and power-tool manufacturer, Tyzack Machine Knives.
Cecil was born into a branch of the Tyzack family of saw makers who came to London from Sheffield in 1839. They manufactured and sold tools from a succession of shops in Old Street until the beginning of this century.
Today vintage Tyzack tools are popular with collectors.
Daniel Lewis and Son, Hackney Road, Cambridge Heath.
This was London's oldest ironmonger, originally founded by Presland & Sons in 1797, purpose-built as a shop and factory. In the 1890s it became W. H. Clark Ltd.
Daniel Lewis, who joined as a junior in 1948, took on the business in 1971 and continued trading under the Clark name. Daniel's son, David, worked there from 1992
and renamed it after his father in 2002.
In 2012, he was forced to close when council regulations prevented customers parking and restricted deliveries. Since I painted it, the shopfront has been replaced by a new replica, which is a close copy of this Georgian original.
Until the end, the original interior, with all its fittings and the manufacturing workshops at the rear, survived, revealing how the business evolved, supplying first the coach-building industry and then metal fabricators, architects and sculptors.
The Cookery, Stoke Newington High Street.
This drawing shows an uncharacteristically short queue. Often the line of customers extends all the way down the street, which is always a good sign - revealing that the meat is worth the wait.
I cherish this frontage, with its mid-century script in red on a glazed background, red canopy and grinning butcher mannequin, welcoming customers inside.
Sewell's, Plaistow Road, Plaistow.
This florist in Plaistow has been run by the Sewell family since the 1930s
and is celebrated for its ingenious window displays.
I painted it during the Tour de France when the window
featured two bicycles adorned with flowers beneath strings of bunting
- all in yellow and adorned with Union Jacks in support of our team.
The wide pavement allows for a cheerful array of bedding plants outside to
greet customers before they enter the fragrant interior, filled with buckets of cut flowers.
Syd's, Calvert Avenue, Shoreditch.
London's oldest coffee stall has been open for a century
and is still run by Sydney Tothill's granddaughter, Jane.
This mahogany refreshment stall is one of my favourite London landmarks. It has moved from its pitch only once, to feature in the film Ebb Tide, starring Chili Bouchier, in 1931.
The stall opened 24 hours a day during World War Two, when the War Office brought Syd's son (also Syd) back from a secret mission to ensure the supply of hot tea to the ambulance and fire brigades during the London Blitz, after Syd senior was
traumatised by a bomb that exploded nearby.
Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal, unless otherwise stated.
Saints Dionysius (Bishop), Rusticus, and Eleutherius (Martyrs). Feast Day 9 October.
Semi-Double.
Red Vestments.
English: Basilica of Saint Denis, France. The Tympanum of The Portal of The North Transept: The beheading of Saint Denis and his companions, Rusticus and Eleutherius.
English: The Church of Saint John the Baptist, Dammartin-en-Goële, France.
Stained-Glass Window depicting Saint Dionysius (Saint Denis) on the Right.
Deutsch: Katholische Pfarrkirche Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Johannes der Täufer) in Dammartin-en-Goële im Département Seine-et-Marne (Région Île-de-France/Frankreich), Bleiglasfenster mit der Jahreszahl 1910, Darstellung: Herz Jesu und Margareta Maria Alacoque, links: Bathilde, rechts: Dionysius von Paris
Dionysius (Denis), the first Bishop of Paris, accompanied by the Priest, Rusticus, and the Deacon, Eleutherius, was sent to Lutetia (Editor: Present-day Paris) in the 3rd-Century A.D. After carrying out his Mission there for several years, he was beheaded with his Companions at Catulliacum, present-day Saint Denis, Paris, where they erected over his tomb a Basilica. It was here that the Kings of France were buried. [Because of his beheading, Saint Dionysius (Denis) is always represented by bearing his head in his hands.] Saint Dionysius (Denis) is one of The Fourteen Auxiliary Saints.
The Gospel and Collect of today's Mass show forth the Christian heroism of these three Martyrs, who fearlessly confessed The Name of Christ before men and remained firm in the midst of their sufferings.
In the 9th-Century A.D., Saint Dionysius was erroneously identified with Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, whence the Epistle in The Mass relating the conversion of the latter Saint, which happened when Saint Paul passed through Greece on his second journey.
