St. Jerome often spoke of Didymus not as the blind but as “the Seer.”
Didymus remained head of the Catechetical School for over half a century.
Probably as a consequence of his blindness, Didymus was able to develop a
prolific memory and gained a vast knowledge of philosophy and theology
as well as other secular sciences. He was also noted for his exceptional
kindness and angelic disposition. His fame spread far and wide. The orator
Libanius wrote to an Egyptian official: “You cannot surely be ignorant of
Didymus, unless you are ignorant of the great city wherein he has night and
day been pouring out his learning for the good of others.” The tone of his
writings is always well balanced and calculated to win over his opponent
rather than to defeat him. He always railed against the heresy but never the
heretic. Thus, he had friends even among the Arians.
Didymus was never ordained, remaining instead a layman living a life of
austerity in relative isolation outside Alexandria. He has, however, never
been accorded the title of saint due to Origenist opinions concerning the
pre-existence of souls and the ultimate salvation of all in his writings. This
unfortunate circumstance is the reason why his name appears side by side
with that of Origen in the condemnation of the Third Council of
Constantinople in 680.
His condemnation also explains why much of what Didymus composed has
also been lost. His voluminous exegetical works on most of the Old and
New Testament books have virtually all disappeared. So, too, his dogmatic
works. Besides a few fragments discovered here and there, only two works
remain – his treatise on the Holy Spirit and his three books on the Trinity.
The former was extensively used by St. Ambrose in his own work on the
Holy Spirit and survives in St. Jerome’s Latin translation; the latter is
Didymus’ principal work and has survived intact probably due to being free
of Origenism.
After a life devoted to prayer, penance and work, Didymus died peacefully
in 398 at the age of 85. Soon after, the Catechetical School of Alexandria
moved to Side where it failed to meet success and closed permanently.
Themes for study:
The founding of the Catechetical School by Pantaenus;
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