Description
St. Dionysios was born on the Greek Island of Zakynthos in 1547 into the Sigouros family of his Venetian ruling class ancestry, and was baptized by St. Gerasimos of Kephalania. He was well educated and was fluent in Greek, Latin, and Italian. After his parents died, he left all and in 1568 became the monk Daniel at the Strophades Monastery. He was ordained a priest in 1570, and soon after left to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land where Jesus had walked in the flesh, but was prevailed upon to accept episcopal ordination at the insistence of Nikanor, the Archbishop of Athens. He was made the Archbishop of Aegina in 1577. When the monk Daniel was made a bishop, his name was changed to Dionysios.
He lived a pious life there and fulfilled his new duties, but retired from this active life after just one year, for his popularity was so great and so many people came to him that he sought to avoid the praise and honor given him. He was able to return to his native Zakynthos and assume a quieter life in the monastery there. He was known particularly for great forgiveness. St. Dionysios went to his Lord peacefully at the age of 75 in 1622.