St. Joan of Arc
"But since God had commanded me to go, I must do it. And since God had commanded it, had I had a hundred fathers and a hundred mothers, and had I been a king's daughter, I would have gone."
Feast Day
May 30
At a Glance
Patronage
soldiers and France
Locality
France
Period
1412 - 1431
Known For
military leadership, martyrdom, heroism
Her Story
A Heavenly Call in Humble Beginnings
St. Joan of Arc was born in 1412 in Domrémy, France, to a devout peasant family. At the age of thirteen, she began receiving visions from St. Michael the Archangel, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret, who revealed to her a divine mission: support Charles VII and deliver France from English domination during the Hundred Years’ War.
Warrior by Faith, Not by Training
With astonishing courage and conviction, Joan convinced Charles VII to entrust her with military leadership. She underwent theological examination and passed, proving her sincerity and orthodoxy. Clad in armor and fueled by divine purpose, she lifted the siege of Orléans in 1429 and inspired a wave of French victories. Her efforts led to the coronation of Charles VII at Reims.
Captured and Betrayed
Despite her successes, political divisions and suspicions at court left Joan increasingly vulnerable. In 1430, she was captured by Burgundian forces allied with the English and sold to her enemies. They sought not only to discredit her but to destroy the faith she inspired.
Trial and Martyrdom
Joan was subjected to a biased ecclesiastical trial led by English sympathizers. Denied fair representation and imprisoned under harsh conditions, she responded with intelligence, humility, and unwavering faith. Accused of heresy for wearing men’s clothing, she was condemned and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431, at the age of nineteen.
Vindication and Veneration
A posthumous retrial in 1456 declared Joan innocent of all charges. In 1920, she was canonized a saint by Pope Benedict XV. Today, St. Joan of Arc stands as a radiant symbol of courage, fidelity, and divine calling—a young woman who answered God’s voice and shaped the future of a nation through faith and fire.