DIONIGI d'ALESSANDRIA, saint. — Church Father, b. toward the end of the 2nd century, d. ca. 264. The son of pagans, he came to the faith through reading and meditation. He was a disciple of Origene, to whom he always showed himself devoted. In 231–32 he took over the direction of the Didaskaleion from Eraclas, who had been made bishop of Alexandria; in 247–48 he succeeded him in the episcopate. He suffered greatly under Filippo l'Arabo (248–49), because of popular riots against Christians, and during the persecution of Decius, from which he considered it necessary to escape by flight. Returning in November 251, he fought against heretical and schismatic movements.
In 257–58, under Valeriano, after a glorious confession of faith he was banished to Kolluthion in the Mareotis, where he probably remained until March 262. His final years were again troubled by the war, famine, and plague that afflicted his city. Feast day: 17 November.
None of D.’s works has come down to us through an independent tradition: information and fragments are found in Eusebio, Atanasio, Basilio, and others. In the books On Nature, of which substantial fragments remain (Eusebio, Praep. ev., XIV, 23–27), he contrasts the Christian doctrine of creation and providence with the atomism of Democrito and Epicuro. Of a book On Temptations, addressed to Eufratore, only the title is known. Some fragments remain of a Commentary on the beginning of Ecclesiastes. Significant fragments remain (Eusebio, Hist. eccl., VII, 24–25) of two books On the Promises, against the chiliast Nepote, bishop of Arsinoe in Egypt. He sent a Refutation and Apology, in four books, to Pope Dionigi to defend himself against the accusation of subordinationism and tritheism: information and fragments are found especially in Atanasio (De sententia Dionysii ep. Al.). Two letters have come down to us intact: one (Eusebio, Hist. eccl., IV, 45) to Novaziano, inviting him to submit to Pope Cornelio; the other, in collections of canonical epistles, to the bishop Basilide, on various points of discipline. Information and fragments are available concerning others, relating to the Novatian schism, the controversy over the Baptism of heretics, and the Trinitarian question. Particularly important are the “festal” letters, in which, while announcing the date of Easter to the bishops and communities of the province, he offered timely admonitions.
D. was above all a pastor and a man of action, extremely zealous for the good of his flock and of the whole Church, fearless in the face of danger, skilled and prudent in government, more concerned with safeguarding orthodoxy than with speculative exploration of dogma. He upholds the canonicity of the Apocalypse and the necessity of interpreting it allegorically, but attributes it to a John different from the Apostle. In combating Sabellianism, he initially adopted subordinationist positions, on account of which the Arians would regard him as their forerunner; but, after the admonitions of Pope Dionigi, he explained himself in the opposite sense. In the Novatian controversy he sided with the legitimate pope, Cornelio; regarding the lapsi, he recommended leniency. In the baptismal controversy he appears hesitant, treating it more as a matter of discipline than as a dogmatic question.