Saint Joan of Arc
Stored in Cargo: Saint Joan of Arc
| Saint Joan of Arc | |
| Feast Day | May 30 |
|---|---|
| Liturgical Class | |
| Patronage | France, soldiers, prisoners, women in the military |
| Birthplace | Domrémy, Duchy of Bar, France |
| Death Place | Rouen, Normandy (under English control) |
| Cause of Death | Execution by burning |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc, Domrémy, France |
Saint Joan of Arc (c. 1412 – May 30, 1431), known as the Maid of Orléans, was a saint and French heroine who led her country to victories during the Hundred Years’ War. Born a peasant in Domrémy, Duchy of Bar, France, she received visions from St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret at age 13, urging her to save France. At 17, she convinced Charles VII to let her lead an army, lifting the siege of Orléans in 1429 and enabling Charles’ coronation in Reims. Captured by the Burgundians in 1430, she was sold to the English, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake in Rouen at 19. Her conviction was overturned in 1456, and she was canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. Her feast day is May 30.[1][2]
Joan’s courage, piety, and military leadership inspired France’s resurgence. Declared a national symbol by Napoleon, her legacy endures in art, literature, and French culture. Her relics, though partially preserved, are venerated at her basilica in Domrémy, and her story continues to captivate, with recent X posts praising her as a model of faith and defiance against injustice.[3][4]
Biography
Birth
Saint Joan of Arc was born around 1412 in Domrémy, Duchy of Bar, France, to Jacques d’Arc and Isabelle Romée, pious peasants. Her exact birth date is unknown, but she testified to being about 19 at her trial in 1431. Domrémy, a small village loyal to the French crown, shaped her fervent patriotism.[1][2]
Early Life
Raised in a devout Catholic family, Joan learned to spin, sew, and pray, attending Mass regularly. At 13, in 1425, she began hearing voices and seeing visions of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret, who instructed her to drive the English from France and crown Charles VII. Initially secretive, she gained confidence by 1428, seeking an audience with Charles at Chinon. Her piety and determination convinced local authorities to support her mission.[3][5]
Occupation
Joan’s “occupation” was as a peasant until her visions led her to military leadership. In 1429, at 17, she persuaded Charles VII to grant her command of an army. Wearing armor and carrying a banner with “Jesus, Mary,” she lifted the siege of Orléans in nine days, earning the title Maid of Orléans. She led victories at Patay and Troyes, paving the way for Charles’ coronation in Reims. Captured at Compiègne in 1430, she was imprisoned and tried by a pro-English tribunal.[1][2][6]
Vocation
Joan’s vocation was divinely inspired, driven by her visions to liberate France and crown its rightful king. Her unwavering faith, expressed through chastity, prayer, and obedience to her “voices,” guided her military campaigns. She insisted on moral discipline among her troops, expelling prostitutes and urging Confession. Despite her lack of formal training, her strategic insight and charisma rallied French forces. Her trial, marked by her bold defense of her visions as divine, cemented her as a martyr for faith and country.[3][4]
Death
Saint Joan of Arc died on May 30, 1431, in Rouen, Normandy, executed by burning at age 19. Captured by the Burgundians, she was sold to the English, who tried her for heresy and cross-dressing. Convicted after a biased trial, she recanted briefly under pressure but reaffirmed her visions. Burned at the stake, she died calling out “Jesus.” A 1456 retrial declared her innocent, recognizing her martyrdom. Her ashes were scattered in the Seine, but relics survive in Domrémy.[1][2]
Significant events
- Received first visions from St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret, 1425.
- Convinced Charles VII to grant her an army at Chinon, 1429.
- Lifted the siege of Orléans, May 8, 1429.
- Enabled Charles VII’s coronation in Reims, July 17, 1429.
- Captured at Compiègne, May 23, 1430.
- Executed by burning in Rouen, May 30, 1431.[3][1]
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Domrémy, Duchy of Bar, France
Death location: Rouen, Normandy (under English control)
Notable location:
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Parishes
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Canonization
Servant of God
The process to recognize Joan as a Servant of God began in 1869, prompted by Bishop Félix Dupanloup of Orléans, who petitioned Rome. Her heroic virtues, documented through trial records and testimonies, advanced her cause.[5]
Venerable
Joan was declared Venerable in 1903 by Pope Pius X, recognizing her heroic virtues after reviewing her life, trial, and retrial records.[2]
Beatification
Joan was beatified on April 18, 1909, by Pope Pius X in St. Peter’s Basilica, following two miracles attributed to her intercession in 1908: the healing of a nun’s ulcer and a girl’s tuberculosis. Her cult grew rapidly in France.[1][4]
Canonization
She was canonized on May 16, 1920, by Pope Benedict XV in St. Peter’s Basilica, after two additional miracles in 1919, including healings of French pilgrims. Her canonization, during World War I’s aftermath, celebrated her as a symbol of French unity and faith.[3][5]
Miracles
Joan’s canonization was supported by miracles, primarily healings, attributed to her intercession. Her life’s visions were considered providential, though not formal miracles.[1]
Miracle for beatification
Two miracles in 1908—a nun cured of a leg ulcer and a girl healed of tuberculosis—were attributed to Joan’s intercession, verified by the Church.[4]
Miracle for canonization
Two additional miracles in 1919, involving healings of pilgrims invoking Joan, were confirmed, enabling her canonization.[5]
Other notable miracles
- Her rapid military successes, like Orléans, were seen as miraculous by contemporaries.[3]
Patronage
Saint Joan of Arc is the patron saint of France, soldiers, prisoners, and women in the military, reflecting her roles as warrior, captive, and national heroine.[2]
Feast day
Her feast day is celebrated on May 30 in the Roman Catholic Church, marking her martyrdom.[1]
Veneration
Saint Joan is venerated through prayers, novenas, and pilgrimages to the Basilica of Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc in Domrémy, where her relics are preserved. Her image, often in armor with a banner or sword, adorns churches worldwide. Feast day Masses celebrate her faith and courage, with French parishes holding festivals. Recent posts on X highlight her defiance, with one noting, “Joan’s voices led her to victory against all odds.” Her story inspires films, plays, and literature, cementing her as a global icon.[6][7]
Books
Written about the saint
- Joan of Arc: Her Story by Régine Pernoud[3]
- Joan of Arc: The Legend and the Reality by Frances Gies[6]
- Joan of Arc: Her Life by Mary Gordon[1]
Written by the saint
- None recorded, though her trial testimonies and letters, like the Letter to the English (1429), are preserved.[3]
External links
- Saint Joan of Arc at CatholicSaints.Info
- Saint Joan of Arc at Catholic Online
- St. Joan of Arc in the Catholic Encyclopedia
- Joan of Arc at Wikipedia
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "St. Joan of Arc". New Advent. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08409c.htm.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Joan of Arc". Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Pernoud, Régine (1998). Joan of Arc: Her Story. New York: St. Martin’s Press. ISBN 978-0312184599.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Saint Joan of Arc". Franciscan Media. 2023-05-30. https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-joan-of-arc.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Saint Joan of Arc". CatholicSaints.Info. https://catholicsaints.info/saint-joan-of-arc/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Gies, Frances (1981). Joan of Arc: The Legend and the Reality. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 978-0060908010.
- ↑ "Saint Joan of Arc". Orléans Métropole. https://www.orleans-metropole.fr/en/culture-heritage/joan-of-arc.