05/29/2025 France (International Christian Concern) – Ever since the earliest days of the church, believers have faced the wrath of tyrants who feel threatened by the power of the gospel. For centuries, governments have come and gone, fruitlessly attempting to squash the spread of Christianity along the way.

In the lesser known historical records of the Christian church, you may find the story of a young slave girl named Blandina. Though her age, gender, and low social status make her an unlikely candidate as a hero of the faith, we know that God has a track record of choosing the least likely to play a part in His Kingdom work.

Blandina lived in Lyons, France, where Christianity was a minority movement facing great resistance from the greater public that worshipped Roman gods. Soon, Christians throughout the region were thrown in prison and tortured for crimes such as “impiety” or “atheism” for refusing to worship the false gods.

Upon her arrest, Blandina and three fellow believers — Sanctus, Maturus, and Attalus, who were also martyred — suffered unconscionable torture. According to a historical letter describing their abuse and martyrdom, “Blandina was filled with so much strength that she was released and those who tortured her in relays in every manner from morning until evening became exhausted, even confessing of their own accord that they were beaten, since they had nothing further to do to her, and that they marveled at the fact that she was still alive.”

In the face of immense pain, Blandina, likely only 12 or 13 years old, professed to her abusers, “I am a Christian woman and nothing wicked happens among us.”

During this period, a common form of execution was throwing criminals to wild animals in a public arena. Blandina suffered a similar sentence as she was hung on a stake, shaped like a cross, left exposed to the amphitheater’s violent beasts. However, the animals did not touch her.

Following the failed execution, the guard continued to bring Blandina and a teenage boy named Ponticus to the arena daily to witness the constant violence against their fellow believers. Despite their similar young age, she stepped in as a motherly figure, encouraging Ponticus to focus on the glory that awaited them in Christ.

Ultimately, Blandina faced her own demise in the amphitheater as she was tied up and tossed to a bull. Though she was “tossed about for some time by the animal, [she] was insensitive to what was happening to her because of her hope and hold upon what had been entrusted to her and her communion with Christ.”

Throughout the Bible, we see the Lord using unlikely men and women to accomplish his purposes. Through the courage of a young slave girl, God inspired many to cling to their faith tightly in the face of impending martyrdom, knowing that true life awaited on the other side.

To read more stories like this, sign up for ICC’s free magazine.