Biography
Didymus of Alexandria
About Didymus of Alexandria
Didymus is remembered as the soldier who helped Theodora escape a sentence of sexual enslavement by exchanging clothing with her. The narrative survives in different forms.
According to the story, he was arrested and condemned for the rescue. Theodora then sought to share his fate.
The account is known through early martyr literature and Ambrose, but its historical reliability is disputed.
Versions disagree about how the two died. Their veneration preserves the memory of courage and solidarity without resolving all of the narrative details.
Wondering how to weigh the stories and sources? Learn how to read a saint biography.