Saint Joan of Arc

Her secondary patronesses are Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus (a.k.a. Thérèse of Lisieux / the Little Flower / la petite Thérèse) and Saint Joan of Arc (a.k.a. Jeanne d'Arc in French and Jehanne Darc in Middle French.)

France needs the intercession of all three!

St. Michael the Archangel is technically the “Protector of France,” but most of us accredit that task to St. Joan.

St. Joan of Arc

The English invaders burnt St. Joan of Arc at the stake on 30 May 1431 after she was found guilty for the crimes of heresy and blasphemy. At the time, it was a crime to wear men's clothes but they also accused her of acting upon demonic visions & refusing to submit to the judgment of the church. Her feast day is 30# May: the day she was executed.

Scoundrels might try to draw ‘cross-dressing’ parallels between St. Joan and the drag-queens at the Olympic opening ceremony, but that is an unconscionable stretch.

Appearance

All that is known of St. Jehanne’s appearance is that she was:

“…about five foot two in height, thickly made, muscular, and very strong. Her eyes were far apart, and somewhat prominent. Her hair was black. She was reasonably good-looking, but by no means pretty. Her complexion was distinctly dark. She had a red birthmark her left ear, and was gifted with a low, sweet and compelling voice.”

The earliest and only extant depiction of St. Jeanne is the 1429 sketch by Clément de Fauquembergue in the title image (with her signature to the left.) There are no contemporary pictures of Jeanne d'Arc in existence.

De Boulainvilliers described the Maid:

“This girl is reasonably good-looking, and with something virile in her bearing; she speaks but little, and is remarkably prudent, in what she does say. She eats little, and drinks wine still less; manages both her horse and her arms superbly well; greatly likes the company of knights and soldiers; scorns the company of the rabble; sheds many tears; has a happy expression; so great is her strength in the endurance of fatigue that she could remain completely armed during six whole days and nights.

Depiction

There are hundreds of depictions of St. Joan through writings, paintings and sculpture. Typically, they are romanticised and show her as beautiful, noble and spiritual. Some present her with red or brown hair!

By Albert Lynch (1851-1912)

By Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828 – 1882)

By Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres: Joan at the Coronation of Charles VII: 1854.

Below is a drawing from about 1900 AD by an unknown artist using the known description of St. Joan. It is from the artist’s imagination so again, not a true likeness.

St. Joan of Arc, pray for us!

The prayer to St. Joan is appropriate for these troubling times:

“Saint Joan of Arc, your martyrdom is the great victory of God over our enemies.

Intercede, from the Kingdom of Heaven, that we may be preserved from wars against our country and assaults against our Faith. May France remember that she is the eldest Daughter of the Church. Lord, we thank You, for You have blessed our country by giving us Saint Joan of Arc.

Stimulate many more vocations to keep the apostolic mission of France intact.

God, who chose Saint Joan of Arc to defend our country against the invader, grant us, through his intercession, to work for justice and live in peace.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”



Kevin Hay

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