Didymus the Blind
Encyclopedia
Didymus the Blind was a Coptic Church theologian of Alexandria
, whose famous Catechetical School
he led for about half a century. He became blind at a very young age, and therefore ignorant of the rudiments of learning. Yet, he displayed such a miracle of intelligence as to learn perfectly dialectics and even geometry, sciences which especially require sight.
Didymus wrote many works: Commentaries on all the Psalms, the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of John as Against the Arians, and On the Holy Spirit
, which Jerome
translated into Latin. He also wrote on Isaiah, Hosea, Zechariah, Job, and many other topics.
(See Jerome and Early Church Fathers, Chapter 109)
Didymus’ biblical commentaries (supposedly on nearly all the books of the Bible) survive in fragments only, and those on the Catholic Letters are of dubious authenticity. He is probably the author of a treatise on the Holy Spirit that is extant in Latin translation.
He was a loyal student of Origen
, though stoutly opposed to Arian
and Macedonian
teaching. Such of his writings as survive show a remarkable knowledge of scripture, and have distinct value as theological literature. Among them are the De Trinitate (On the Trinity), De Spiritu Sancto (On the Holy Spirit) (Jerome's Latin translation), Adversus Manichaeos (Against the Manichaeans), and notes and expositions of various books, especially the Psalms and the Catholic Epistles.
, where he lived and worked. According to Palladius, the 5th-century bishop and historian, Didymus remained a layman all his life and became one of the most learned ascetics of his time. He counted among his pupils Jerome
and Rufinus
.
Universalist historians including Hosea Ballou
and J. W. Hanson have claimed that Didymus taught universal salvation, on the basis of Didymus' statement that "in the liberation of all no one remains a captive! At the time of the Lord's passion the devil alone was injured by losing all of the captives he was keeping.", and his belief that divine punishment is remedial in nature.
Jerome, who often spoke of Didymus not as the blind but as "the Seer," wrote that Didymus "surpassed all of his day in knowledge of the Scriptures" and Socrates of Constantinople later called him "the great bulwark of the true faith". Didymus was viewed as an orthodox Christian teacher and was greatly respected and admired up until at least 553.
condemned his works but not his person. In the Third Council of Constantinople
in 680, Didymus was again linked with and condemned with Origen. However, the doctrine of Origen and Didymus that was found to be the most "heretical" was not universalism, nor was it the reliance on the non canonical Gospel according to the Hebrews, nor even his belief that
Matthew and Levi were two different people, but rather the belief in the "Abominable doctrine of the transmigration of souls".
As a result of his condemnation, many of his works were not copied during the Middle Ages and were subsequently lost. However, a group of 6th or 7th century papyrus codices discovered in 1941 near Toura, Egypt (south of Cairo
) include his commentaries on Job, Zechariah, Genesis, and (of uncertain authenticity) on Ecclesiastes and Psalms 20-46.
Despite his blindness, Didymus excelled in scholarship because of his incredible memory
. He found ways to help blind people to read, and experimented with carved wooden letters, a precursor to Braille
systems used by the blind today.
Several Orthodox Churches refer to him as St. Didymus the Blind.
, a novel published in 2009.
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, whose famous Catechetical School
Catechetical School of Alexandria
The Catechetical School of Alexandria was and is a place for the training of Christian theologians and priests in Alexandria. The teachers and students of the school were influential in many of the early theological controversies of the Christian church.The earliest recorded instructor at the...
he led for about half a century. He became blind at a very young age, and therefore ignorant of the rudiments of learning. Yet, he displayed such a miracle of intelligence as to learn perfectly dialectics and even geometry, sciences which especially require sight.
Didymus wrote many works: Commentaries on all the Psalms, the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of John as Against the Arians, and On the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
, which Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
translated into Latin. He also wrote on Isaiah, Hosea, Zechariah, Job, and many other topics.
(See Jerome and Early Church Fathers, Chapter 109)
Didymus’ biblical commentaries (supposedly on nearly all the books of the Bible) survive in fragments only, and those on the Catholic Letters are of dubious authenticity. He is probably the author of a treatise on the Holy Spirit that is extant in Latin translation.
Early life
Although he became blind at the age of four, before he had learned to read, he succeeded in mastering the whole gamut of the sciences then known.He was a loyal student of Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
, though stoutly opposed to Arian
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
and Macedonian
Macedonius I of Constantinople
Macedonius was a Greek bishop of Constantinople from 342 up to 346, and from 351 until 360. He inspired the establishment of the Macedonians, a sect later declared heretical.-Biography:...
teaching. Such of his writings as survive show a remarkable knowledge of scripture, and have distinct value as theological literature. Among them are the De Trinitate (On the Trinity), De Spiritu Sancto (On the Holy Spirit) (Jerome's Latin translation), Adversus Manichaeos (Against the Manichaeans), and notes and expositions of various books, especially the Psalms and the Catholic Epistles.
Catechetical School of Alexandria
Upon entering the service of the Church he was placed at the head of the Catechetical School of AlexandriaCatechetical School of Alexandria
The Catechetical School of Alexandria was and is a place for the training of Christian theologians and priests in Alexandria. The teachers and students of the school were influential in many of the early theological controversies of the Christian church.The earliest recorded instructor at the...
, where he lived and worked. According to Palladius, the 5th-century bishop and historian, Didymus remained a layman all his life and became one of the most learned ascetics of his time. He counted among his pupils Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
and Rufinus
Tyrannius Rufinus
Tyrannius Rufinus or Rufinus of Aquileia was a monk, historian, and theologian. He is most known as a translator of Greek patristic material into Latin—especially the work of Origen.-Life:...
.
Universalist historians including Hosea Ballou
Hosea Ballou
Hosea Ballou was an American Universalist clergyman and theological writer.-Biography:Hosea Ballou was born in Richmond, New Hampshire, to a family of Huguenot origin...
and J. W. Hanson have claimed that Didymus taught universal salvation, on the basis of Didymus' statement that "in the liberation of all no one remains a captive! At the time of the Lord's passion the devil alone was injured by losing all of the captives he was keeping.", and his belief that divine punishment is remedial in nature.
Jerome, who often spoke of Didymus not as the blind but as "the Seer," wrote that Didymus "surpassed all of his day in knowledge of the Scriptures" and Socrates of Constantinople later called him "the great bulwark of the true faith". Didymus was viewed as an orthodox Christian teacher and was greatly respected and admired up until at least 553.
Second Council of Constantinople
In 553 the Second Council of ConstantinopleSecond Council of Constantinople
The Second Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Fifth Ecumenical Council by the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was held from May 5 to June 2, 553, having been called by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian...
condemned his works but not his person. In the Third Council of Constantinople
Third Council of Constantinople
The Third Council of Constantinople, counted as the Sixth Ecumenical Council by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches and other Christian groups, met in 680/681 and condemned monoenergism and monothelitism as heretical and defined Jesus Christ as having two energies and two wills...
in 680, Didymus was again linked with and condemned with Origen. However, the doctrine of Origen and Didymus that was found to be the most "heretical" was not universalism, nor was it the reliance on the non canonical Gospel according to the Hebrews, nor even his belief that
Matthew and Levi were two different people, but rather the belief in the "Abominable doctrine of the transmigration of souls".
As a result of his condemnation, many of his works were not copied during the Middle Ages and were subsequently lost. However, a group of 6th or 7th century papyrus codices discovered in 1941 near Toura, Egypt (south of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
) include his commentaries on Job, Zechariah, Genesis, and (of uncertain authenticity) on Ecclesiastes and Psalms 20-46.
Despite his blindness, Didymus excelled in scholarship because of his incredible memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
. He found ways to help blind people to read, and experimented with carved wooden letters, a precursor to Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
systems used by the blind today.
Several Orthodox Churches refer to him as St. Didymus the Blind.
Quotation
In literature
Didymus the Blind is portrayed in Flow Down Like Silver, Hypatia of Alexandriahttp://www.amazon.com/dp/0975925598 by Ki LongfellowKi Longfellow
Ki Longfellow is an American novelist, playwright, theatrical producer, theater director and entrepreneur. In Britain, as the widow of Vivian Stanshall, she is well known as the guardian of his artistic heritage, but elsewhere she is best known for her own work, especially the novel The Secret...
, a novel published in 2009.
External links
- Didymus the Blind at OrthodoxWiki