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Not only is she, in her weakness, ?lled with divine power by her confession,
but she becomes fully identi?ed with the one whose body was broken on Gol-
gotha: when hung on a stake in the arena,

Blandina, hung on a stake (?π? ξ?λου), was o?ered as food for the
wild beasts that were let in. She, by being seen hanging in the
form of a cross, by her vigorous prayer, caused great zeal in the
contestants, as, in their struggle, they beheld with their outward
eyes, through the sister, him who was cruci?ed for them, that he
might persuade those who believe in him that everyone who suf-
fers for the glory of Christ has for ever communion with the liv-
ing God. … the small and weak and despised woman had put on
the great and invincible athlete, Christ, routing the adversary in
many bouts, and, through the struggle, being crowned with the
crown of incorruptibility. (H.e. 5.1.41-2)

Through her su?ering, Blandina becomes identi?ed with Christ: (as with Paul,
cf. Gal. 2:20) she no longer lives, but Christ lives in her: she is his body. Blan-
dina’s passage out of this world is Christ’s entry into this world, and this is
again described as a birth. After describing her su?ering, and that of another
Christian called Attalus, the letter continues:

Through their continued life the dead were made alive, and the
martyrs showed favour to those who had failed to witness. And
there was great joy for the Virgin Mother in receiving back alive
those who she had miscarried as dead. For through them the ma-
jority of those who had denied were again brought to birth and
again conceived and again brought to life and learned to confess;
and now living and strengthened, they went to the judgment seat.
(H.e. 5.1.45-6)

The Christians who turn away from making their confession are simply dead:
their lack of preparation has meant that they are stillborn children of the Vir-
gin Mother, the Church. But now, strengthened by the witness of others, they
also are able to go to their death—and so the Virgin Mother receives them
back alive, ?nally giving birth to living children of God. The death of the mar-

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