Life of the Saints: Joan of arc

I believe everyone, even non-christians, have heard about the incredible tale of Joan of Arc. I always loved her and the virtues she held of courage and faith. In fact, I love her so much that she is now my confirmation saint! I am also very aware of what she had to go through. In this article, you will find a dumbed-down version of Joan of Arc's journey to martyrdom and sainthood.

Joan of Arc's Childhood

Joan of Arc was born in 1412, in a small village named Domrémy. This is where she started her life as a peasant girl and lived humbly with her mother and father, practicing Catholicism in her small yet comfortable village. But when she turned 13, she said she suddenly began to have visions of different saints like Saint Margaret, Saint Michael, and Saint Catherine. These visions didn't just show up and then leave soon after though.

During this time, the Hundred Years' War was happening, and France seemed to almost be at the hands of the English. With this happening, the visions wanted her to join the military and help Charles VII, the Dauphin, reclaim the throne that once was his and become the king of France, and lead the French to victory. Joan of Arc began to act on these visions at only 17!

Military

Joan somehow convinced Charles VII that her visions were a sign and allowed her to lead a French army. Joan had no military experience before this, so she was completely new to the idea of leading an army, but God helped her through this, leading her to a surprising victory in 1429. After this, everyone seemed to know about Joan, and she received the nickname "La Pucelle," which in English means "Maid of Orléans." Later in that year, Joan's significant work paid off. Charles VII was crowned King at Reims, making Joan committed to her visions of leading France to victory.

Joan's Last Days

In 1430, Joan was unfortunately captured by her enemies, the Burgundians, and was sold to the English, who were the Burgundians’ allies. Charles did not take any action to save her, which I always thought was interesting. The idea of someone receiving glory from someone else and then leaving them to experience their own dark fate seems so cruel. But anyways, I digress.

Joan was put to trial for heresy, witchcraft, and dressing like a man, which was a big deal at the time. This entire trial was political though, so Joan of Arc's defense for her side was weak, making her whole trial quite unfair. This trial was very stretched due to her smart answers and her refusal to say she did anything wrong.

Yet in 1431, she was decreed to be executed for these accusations. Joan was only 19 when she was burned at the stake in Rouen, France. Her final words were her reportedly reciting our Savior’s name, Jesus, over and over again. She was also reported to have asked for a cross to be held before her so she could look at it in her final moments.

Joan of Arc's Legacy

In 1456, there was another trial created for Joan’s case, which declared her innocent, creating sadness and grief for all of France. She was therefore declared a martyr. She was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1920, with two miracles to her name, although she was exempt from them due to her martyrdom. Three nuns were healed from cancer after they prayed to her, and she also reportedly healed a woman from tuberculosis and a woman from a hole in her foot.

Joan of Arc is not only known for her importance in the history of the Hundred Years' War and the significance of her role in the victory of the French, she is also known for her virtues of compassion, courage, and faith. I have read and watched multiple things about her that you can find the links to down below. I also recommend watching "The Saints," a documentary on Fox Nation, which has an episode about her.

Joan of Arc will be one of my role models for the rest of my life, and I advise that you consider her one of your role models also. What virtues or actions did Joan of Arc do that made you look up to her? Or if you read these books, what's your opinion on them? Let me know! I answer all emails :)

Joan of Arc by Mark Twain

I usually don't read books by authors who aren't Catholic like myself, but Mark Twain’s book goes in so much depth and is so real about Joan of Arc’s journey, making it easy to understand but also doesn’t fail to get you thinking. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a saint book that focuses more on details and storytelling.

Link: https://amzn.to/4n2inD2

Born to Do This: 30 Days with Joan of Arc

This book is a 30-day reflection prayer book that helps you reflect on both Joan of Arc’s life and your own life. In it are multiple scenes from Joan’s life, a short reflection you can use throughout your day, and a night prayer reflection for the lend of the day. There is a walkthrough in the book about the different ways you can use it, but it has been amazing for me. Highly recommend if you are looking for a prayer book that has short prayers for throughout the day.

Link: https://amzn.to/4kHRcMwJoan