St. Joan of Arc was born in 1412 in a village in the countryside southeast of Paris, France. She is one of France’s patron saints as well as that of soldiers. At the age of 12 she began seeing visions and hearing the voices of those who she identified as St. Michael the Archangel, St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Margaret of Antioch. She was a holy youth, with great devotion to the sacraments. Eventually her visions and locutions convinced her to take bold steps to do the will of God. She cut her hair off, put on men’s battle clothing, and at age 17 convinced Charles VII that God had sent her to help him regain his throne. She led the French armies against the English in the 100 Years’ War, regaining control over key cities including Orleans and Troyes. Through these victories Charles regained his crown in Riems in 1429 with Joan by his side. In 1430 Joan was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English as a slave. In a politically vindictive show trial, she was accused of heresy and witchcraft and was burned at the stake in Rouen on May 30, 1431. Twenty-five years later, she was given a new trial and was exonerated and was canonized in 1920.
Patron of:
France, Soldiers, Those facing persecution
Feast Day:
May 30
Illustration by: Colton Rompala