When was blandina born

Nor did suspicion and hatred of those who had refused to honor the gods during the time of such disaster. Such was the context in C. It is little wonder that they were viewed by authorities and common people alike as dissidents that the community as a whole needed to excise. The information given there is scant since Eusebius claims that more complete information can be found in his Collection of Ancient Martyrdoms , which, unfortunately, is no longer extant.

Even so, the letter purports to offer an eyewitness account of the ordeal of a group of Christians rounded up, persecuted and killed at Lugdunum, in Gaul modern-day Lyon, France. It focuses on the endurance and witness of ten persons, the most prominent of whom is Blandina.

The author of the letter is unknown Frend Although there is no certain evidence, some have suggested Irenaeus — as the most likely writer, since he was appointed Bishop of Lyon, following the death of the elderly bishop, Pothinus 87— , who died during the ordeal Nautin —61; Grant —19; Barnes The destination of Asia for this letter being sent from Gaul offers insight into the make-up of the Lyon community and thereby also allows for cautious speculation as to the background of Blandina.

While the distance separating these communities was more than a thousand miles, the Christian communities of Lyon and Vienne had strong ties to the churches in Asia Minor.

Active trade routes existed between east and west and it was this transcontinental accessibility that had earlier enabled Polycarp 69— , the famous martyred Bishop of Smyrna, to send Pothinus to Gaul as a missionary. Irenaeus soon joined Pothinus in Gaul where, gathering a few Christians around them, they began the communities at Lyon and Vienne. Thus, members of these communities relied heavily on the east for spiritual support and, like Pothinus and Irenaeus, many of them were likely transplants from the east.

Indeed, of the ten persons named in the letter, seven are either said to have come from the east or bear Greek names, indicating the possibility that they or their parents had migrated to the west. The only certain information given about her is that she was young, and that she was a slave whose mistress had also been arrested.

Since the letter itself is written in Greek, that fact hardly proves that Blandina spoke in Greek. Had Blandina also done so, it seems probable that this would have been noted. For these reasons, and in spite of the fact that she bore a Latin name, it is highly possible that Blandina had come to Lyon as an immigrant from the east, and that her mistress then gave her the name Blandina as a term of endearment. Although her place of origin is uncertain, the letter makes clear that Blandina, the slave-woman, rose to prominent status in communal memory at Lyon since she occupies center stage in three separate scenes of this martyrology.

This confluence between the woman and Christ is the focal point of the entire narrative. It sets Blandina apart not only from her fellow combatants but also from other martyrs in other martyrologies. In this poignant scene, it is clear that tensions have reached a high point. Therefore, it is Blandina alone who offers comfort and encouragement to Ponticus in his final hour.

Specific attributes of this community at Lyon indicate that these Christians were descendants of a history and tradition passed on by communities from which came the gospel of John and the Johannine epistles; particularly the attributes of apocalyptic dualism and an emphasis on the workings of the Holy Spirit.

The author of the letter clearly divides persons into dual camps of good the Christians and evil the pagans. The battle is understood as already under way and the end is near.

Italicized portion draws on Rev Infusing the whole of the letter from Lyon is a spiritual zeal that is depicted as the very presence of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete Advocate, Intercessor, Comforter , in the community. It is that very concept, that Jesus abides in individual Christians through the Spirit, that is so prominent in this martyrology. This Paraclete, the very living presence of Jesus, is understood as descending repeatedly at Lyon, empowering individual believers and manifesting his glory in them even, and especially, in the midst of their suffering.

Such dispensation of the Spirit is recounted repeatedly throughout the text and was by no means limited to persons of high status. At one point, the author relates that several newly arrested Christians had been imprisoned along with others who had recanted their faith.

It was feared that the newcomers would lose heart and would also recant but this was not to be. Over and over again, this short letter relates the workings of the Spirit. Yet, nowhere is this fact more evident than in the person of Blandina.

Although described as weak and small, she is given power to endure, even to the extent that her tormentors are astonished. Even so, scholars have also noted that although prophecy with strong manifestations of the Spirit became the hallmark of Montanism, it was not something on which Montanist groups held a monopoly.

In fact, it was quite prevalent throughout the second century in proto-orthodox as well as other Christian communities Frend ; Trevett Saint Maurice was born in 2. Saint Menas was born in Saint Moura was born in 2. Saint Gildard was born in Saint Othmar was born in Saint-Preux was born in Log in. Study now. See Answer. Best Answer. St Blandina was born in Lyon, France but the date of her birth is unknown. Study guides.

St Patrick boyyyyyyyyyyyy 2 cards. Who is the patron saint of ireland. More answers. Q: When and where was Saint Blandina born? Write your answer Related questions.

When was blandina born? When is Sister Blandina Segale's feast day? When did Blandina die? How did Saint Blandina die? When was Saint Bruno born? When was Saint Rosalia born? When was Saint Remigius born? When was Saint Gelert born? Pothinus was bishop of Lyons, and St. Irenaeus, who had been sent there by St. Polycarp out of Asia, was a priest of that city.

Many of the principal Christians were brought before the Roman governor. Among them was a slave, Blandina; and her mistress, also a Christian, feared that Blandina lacked strength to brave the torture. She was tormented a whole day through, but she bore it all with joy till the executioners gave up, confessing themselves outdone.

Red-hot plates were held to the sides of Sanctus, a deacon of Vienne, till his body became one great sore, and he looked no longer like a man; but in the midst of his tortures he was "bedewed and strengthed by the stream of heavenly water which flows from the side of Christ.

Even the heathens marked the joy of martyrdom in the Christians who were decked for their eternal espousals, and the misery of the apostate. But the faithful confessors brought back those who had fallen, and the Church, "that Virgin Mother," rejoiced when she saw her children live again in Christ. Some died in prison, the rest were martyred one by one, St. Blandina last of all, after seeing her younger brother put to a cruel death, and encouraging him to victory. Blandina was tortured for her faith; body burned and ashes thrown in the Tiber River.

Her feast day is June 2nd. Copyright Catholic Online.