St. Denis, October 9
The first bishop of Paris, Denis was beheaded around 250 on the hill later called Montmartre, with his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius. Legend shows him walking with his head in his hands to his burial place. The Basilica of Saint-Denis, burial place of the French kings, stands over his tomb.
On the General Roman Calendar, October 9 is an optional memorial: Saint Denis, bishop, and Companions, martyrs.
Other saints on October 9
- St. John Leonardi, priest (1609)
- St. John Henry Newman, cardinal (1890)
Name days on October 9
In countries that keep name days, October 9 is the day for people named Denis, Dennis, and Denise. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Denis | October 9 |
| Dennis | October 9 |
| Denise | October 9 |
October 9 on the calendar
October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (the 283rd in a leap year), with 83 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | Monday |
| 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | Wednesday |
Keeping October 9
October 9 falls in October, the month of the rosary. As an optional memorial, each parish or priest may choose whether to celebrate it. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Denis, Dennis, and Denise, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around October 9
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| October 6 | St. Bruno |
| October 7 | Our Lady of the Rosary |
| October 8 | St. Pelagia |
| October 10 | St. Daniel Comboni |
| October 11 | St. John XXIII |
| October 12 | St. Wilfrid |
The day before, October 8, is the day of St. Pelagia. The day after, October 10, belongs to St. Daniel Comboni. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.