The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1853-04-28
ThovnnI,an 81. Denis.

The wants OF Sts Dentss
The abbey church Of st. Denis ranks
among the Oldest Christian religious bull
dings in the kingdom of France. Accor'
ding to tradition, St. Denis, or Dionysius,
left Rome 10 preach the Gospel in the
year 24O. His mission, il is said. was
eminen,ly successful, but he met with the
fate Of many other Christians OF the time
in which he lived, and was beheaded BY
his prosecutors. Henceforth his name
was registered in the Romish calendar,
and he became the patron saint OF France.
Among those whom he had converted
was a pious lady named CatulIa, who hay.
ing, by s,ratagem, obtt ined possession
of his body, caused it TO be buried in
field that was her property and lay by the
road side When the prosecutors OF the
Christians ceased in 3l3, she erected
tomb over his remains; and subsequently
chapel was built on the spot, while the
fame Of the saint attracted new and valu'
able offerings 10 his shrine; and in 496
the chapel was rebuilt, being much en-
larged and improved. ST. Denis is also
famed as the burial.place of the kings
and queens Of Farnce, from an extremely
early age in the history Of that atcountry un'
Ill the time orthe revolution ofthe last cen
tury. The first prince of whose burial
notice is taken in French history, was
Dagobert. and infant son Of Chilperic, in
the year $50. In 613, Dagobert |. ioun.
ded the abbey of St. Denis, and at his
death, in 638, he was buried under a
magnificent monument erected in the
church; in 642, his wife, NanliIde, was
placed in the tomb by his side. Still far
:her to celebrate the reign OF this mon
arch, statue was erected TO his memo
ry, seated on a throne with his two sons,
Clovis and Sigebert. by his side, Ailer the
death of Dagobert, Pepn-le. Bret, father
Of Chalemagne, rebuilt The abbey on a
much more extensive site; it was com
pleted in IT'S. In 1878 Charles V. built
the chapel as burial place. Up to l793'
the abbey of St. Denis was famed tor It's
immense riches, and still continued to be
the las. receptacle of the mortal remains
of the kings and queens OF France lhe
needy revolutionary government was moi
long before it laid hands on the unknown
contents OF the abbey's treasury, and a
list was taken of its treasures, Among
these we're many articles extremely vaIu-
able, on account of the precious metals
OF which they were formed and the Jew
els with which they we're enriched. The
first act of the national convention was
but prelude to the nearly utter destruc
ton of the royal abbey of ST. Denis. On
the 3lst of July, 1893, it was decreet
that the tombs and mausoleums OF the
former kings of France. not only IN the
abbey of ST, Denis, but elsewhere, should
be demolished; few friends OF the fine
arts, however, interpoSed, 10 save such
monuments as appeared deserving of
better lale. On the 18th OF October thl'
decree was carried into effect. The frs
tomb opened was that Of Marshal Tu
/ renne, and his remains were found in
, high state of preservation luckily, they
= were the ashes of hero, not king, an(
t they were first carried to the Jardin de-
. Plantes, and afterwards removed witt
f great pomp to the church of the lnvaIlds
, On opening the vault Of the Bourbons, II
the subterranean chapels. the body o
s Henry w., who died in 1910. was tount
in good preservation. They then opened
t that Of King Dagobert, who died. as VI
8 have said, in 638. 1t was followed TO re
ceive the head, which was divided from
a the body. A wooden chest, about toy
e feet long, lined with lead, was discovered
Y which contained the bones Of Dagober
$ and those of his queen, Naniilde; the.
were enyeloped in silk, and the bodle
S were separated from each other by par
n titon, which divided the chest Whel
all was ended, these remains OF three dy
nastes were thrown into TWO trenches
tt surrounded by quicklime, and the graas
now grows over the common gave OF mon
;. arcbS who had governed France for cen
;. turies.