St. Joan of Arc, Patron Saint of France

The Story of Joan of Arc, Patron Saint of France

A popular saint

Joan of Arc is one of the more popular saints in the Catholic Church. Her feast is celebrated every May 30th. She was born on January 6, 1412, at Domrémy, France, on the Feast of the Epiphany. Joan was the youngest of five children to Jacques d'Arc, a peasant farmer. The family lived in a poor village, only just within what is now politically "France". At the time, it was the last place from which one would expect help to come.

Supernatural visions at 13 years of age

As soon as she was able to work, Joan, like every other children, was set to help in the house, driving out the village cows to pasturage, and occasionally acting as shepherdess. A pious girl by nature, she experienced supernatural visions in the garden of her father's house one day. She was already an adolescent of about thirteen years of age. She describes these visions as voices coming from St. Michael, St. Catherine, St. Margaret, and others. Her heavenly visitants at first contented themselves with telling Joan to go on being a good girl and to say her prayers. It was only when Joan was about seventeen years of age that these voices revealed to Joan that her mission was to save France, by helping the Dauphin organize an army, and rightfully place him on the throne of France.

Her prophecies also proved her mission

Robert de Baudricourt, the French commander at Vaucouleurs, laughed at Joan of Arc. Joan previously prophesied that the reinforcements received by the English had won a decisive victory the previous day. When the news came in that this prophesy of Joan was true, and that the French were defeated at the Battle of Herrings, Baudricourt then believed. He could not even stand out against so evident a prophecy. Because of the truth of Joan's prophecy, she was permitted to tell her story and her message to the Dauphin.

Encounter with the Dauphin

To convince the Dauphin of her being sent by God, she went to the castle to seek audience with him. Charles, the Dauphin, had already heard stories of Joan. He was skeptical and decided to subject the peasant girl to a test: Joan was ushered into the crowded great hall where a nobody stood forth in magnificent dress while the Dauphin appeared as one more lowly in status. Nevertheless without hesitation Joan went up to the Dauphin in disguise and knelt to him in homage. Since Joan never saw nor met the Dauphin in person, it was a great amazement to all in the Dauphin's court when she was able to single him out and identify him despite the lowly disguise. As the Dauphin then consulted her confidentially, she then revealed to the Dauphin what God was asking her to do for France.

Her military success helped crown the Dauphin as king

After being cleared of all suspicions, Joan led an expedition to retake the city of Orléans, in a suit of white armor. Only seventeen years old at the time, St. Joan of Arc entered the city without opposition on the night of April 29th; nine days later the English, decisively beaten, withdrew from the ring of fortresses they had built around the city. Joan led well her forces to victory. She then also followed this victory with another one over the British on June 18, this time capturing Troyes. Finally on July 17, 1429 A.D., the Dauphin was crowned as King Charles VII at Rheims.

Captured by the British and burned at the stake


St. Joan of Arc continued in her military campaigns. She failed to take Paris and in one of the following military campaigns, she was captured on May 24 near Compiègne by the Burgundians, and sold to the British by John of Luxembourg on November 21. She was charged by the British church authorities with heresy and witchcraft (because of her stories about hearing voices). Tricked into signing a recantation, she was eventually condemned to be burned to death at the stake.

Martyr and patron saint of France

Her martyrdom occured on May 30, 1431 A.D. in Rouen, France. However, a court appointed by Pope Callistus II in 1456 A.D. found her innocent, especially with the initiative of Joan's mother working for her cause. Soon, four centuries later, she was canonized in 1920 A.D. She is the second patron saint of France and is known as the Maid of Orléans.

Related resources:

• "A History of the Church" by Franzen and Dolan


• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney


• "A Year with the Saints" by Don Bosco Press, Inc.


• "Passion of the Saints" by Discovery Channel