Saint Joan of Arc

Who is she?

Saint Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl of the 15th century. Even though she could not read or write, she led an army to help the King of France at a time when the country was in great danger. She died very young, and later the Church recognized that she was innocent and holy, and canonized her.

Life story

Joan was born around 1412 in the village of Domrémy, France, into a devout farming family. She helped her mother with the housework, sewing and spinning, and she loved to pray in the village church. At that time, France had been at war with England for many years.

She said that from the age of 13 she heard the voices of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret. The saints asked her to live a good life and pray often, and then to go and help King Charles VII save the country.

In 1429, this 17-year-old girl put on armor, took a white banner and led the army to free the city of Orléans. She said she loved her banner more than her sword. She urged the soldiers to stop swearing, to go to Confession and to attend Mass. Orléans was freed, and then she brought the king to Reims to be crowned.

In 1430, she was captured at Compiègne by the Burgundians, allies of England, and then handed over to the English. A court led by Bishop Cauchon tried her unjustly and condemned her as a heretic. On 30 May 1431, in Rouen, she was burned alive at about 19 years old. She asked for a cross, kept her eyes on it and called on the name of Jesus to the very end.

In 1456, another Church court reviewed her case and overturned the sentence. In 1920, Pope Benedict XV canonized her.

Why is she a saint?

The Church canonized her because she lived a pure life, prayed a lot, and stayed faithful to God until death, even though others misunderstood her and treated her unjustly. She did not hold a grudge, but placed everything in God’s hands.

A lesson for you

• Pray often and ask your parents and teachers for advice, so you can know what God wants you to do.
• When you are misunderstood, don’t get angry: calmly tell the truth and trust God.
• Have the courage to do good, even though you are still young.