Jeanne le Pucelle (Joan of Arc), one of five children of Jacque d’Arc and Isabelle Romée, was born on January 6th, 1412 – the Feast of the Epiphany – in the village of Domremy in the northeast of France.
Along with her siblings, Joan was carefully trained in the various household duties. Near the end of her life, Joan would declare, “In sewing and spinning, I fear no woman.” Though she would one day be hailed as the savior and national heroine of France, she was at heart a simple, well-brought up, peasant girl who was never afforded the opportunity of learning to read or write.
Almost nothing for certain is known of her childhood, except for glimpses of her piety and behavior gleaned from the testimony given during her “Process of Rehabilitation” (Nullification trial), 25 years after her death. In these few testimonies we see a young girl who had a pronounced love of prayer, attendance at the Holy Mass, frequent reception of the Sacraments, solicitude toward the sick and the poor. Neighbors of the family testified that “She was so good, that all the village loved her.”
During Joan’s early life, the “Hundred Years War” was going on between England and France, with entire French provinces being lost. The weak and ineffective French government offered no real resistance. Eventually, most of France (north of the Loire River) was in the hands of the English. The “Dauphin” (crown prince) of France, Charles VII believed his situation was hopeless, so he spent himself in frivolous pastimes removed from the fighting lines.
At the age of 14, Joan began to hear voices that she believed were divine messages. The first of these came to her, accompanied by a bright light, while she worked in the family’s garden. From that day on, she kept a vow of virginity and strove heroically to live a Godly life. Over the next two years, the visions grew more frequent, and included St. Michael the Archangel, St. Margaret, and St. Catherine of Alexandria. At length, these heavenly visitors revealed to Joan that her divine mission was to save France. God was calling her to take Charles to be crowned king at Rheims – and to drive the English from the country. After being ridiculed in her first attempt to gain access to the Dauphin, Joan protested, but the voices insisted, “It is God Who commands it!”
In 1429, Joan was finally granted permission to see the Dauphin. He was unsure of her, so he disguised himself and had her brought in. Though she had never met him previously, Joan immediately identified him.
Thanks to
Joan’s faithfulness, Charles was crowned king on July 17th,
1429. In a failed battle the following
year, Joan was taken prisoner by the Burgundians. Charles and his ministers never made any
effort to free her and return her to France.
Later, the Burgundians turned Joan over to the English, who had her
tried and condemned as a sorceress and heretic by a court of the Inquisition.
On May 29th, 1431, Joan was officially condemned and at 8:00am the
following day, she was burned at the stake, with her last word being the Holy
Name of Jesus. 25 years later, a
re-trial (process of rehabilitation) was convened by order of the pope at
Avignon. Joan was vindicated, and her original trial condemned.
St. Joan of
Arc, Pray for us that we may bravely live our Catholic Faith!
[Image: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Joan of Arc at the Coronation of Charles VII]
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