By DEB PIROCH
St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431) is the patroness of France. What is there to learn from the beautiful, mysterious life and martyrdom of St. Joan of Arc? So many of us have heard her story, perhaps read Bernard Shaw’s excellent play about St. Joan, or watched one of the films.
Yet for those who do not know her, she was said to be singularly pious and from a peasant family. She watched the animals in the field, or sewed or spun, but could not even read or write. As historical background, the French King Charles VI had gone insane, and the French throne seized by the English king, Henry V. But then both died around the same time. Joan’s visions told her God had pity on France. Her role was to aid in driving out the English, and to place the Dauphin, the future Charles VII, on the throne.
Joan began first hearing the voice of St. Michael at age 12-13. In these mystical visions, she did not even know it was him, but soon grew to recognize his voice. It was actually Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Margaret of Antioch who first called her “the Maid,” technically “Jeanne the Maid.” She would come to be known to history as the “Maid of Orleans.” Almost from the beginning she was told that part of her task would be liberation of the French city of Orleans.
At age 16 she went through a relative to approach the head of the garrison, Robert de Baudricort, for permission to visit the Royal Court. Though he at first mocked her, she later returned and left with two of his soldiers, Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulengy. She had been told that God wished her to be at the side of the king, and seeking him out, there is the famous tale of her arrival. When she arrived, the king had clothed himself just like other nobles and stood amongst them to fool her. This of course did not work, for her voices told her immediately which man was the future king.
It was during her journey to court that she first wore male clothing, as a protection for herself from attacks on her virtue. When she arrived and was eventually accepted by Charles, she asked for a horse, armor, and a banner. But before there was another mysterious event, which is almost Arthurian in its dimensions. King Arthur fought with the famous sword, Excalibur. Joan’s voices told her instead to have the inhabitants at a particular chapel, Ste-Catherine-de-Fierbois, look behind the altar for a sword that had been hidden there.
It turned out that there was the sword that had belonged to the grandfather of Charlemagne, with crosses on the blade. Many knights would stop and pray there in thanksgiving, because the chapel’s namesake had met her death by the sword — and they would leave a sword here for the saint, as well.
France was in dire straits, with no victories for many months, when Joan came to the future king’s aid. But over time she was much more than a mascot; it was she who led them with cries into battle, empowered the men and even joined in their battle plans and endorsed them (or not), based on what her voices told her. This gave the men immense encouragement to fight.
From the beginning, Joan was able to declare the outcome of events before they either happened or the outcome could possibly be known. This lent her credibility over time. Members of her family were known at home to be good Catholics, but the king had her examined theologically to be sure she was not crazy or demonic. Joan also asked if she told him something no one else knew, and when it happened, if this would gain his trust. Charles said yes, so she proceeded to tell him about the three prayer intentions he had for himself and his people on a certain date. This moved him in her favor.
Indeed, her first words to him were, “Very illustrious Lord Dauphin, I am come, being sent on the part of God, to give succor to the kingdom and you.” No surprise he was a bit taken aback!
Orleans was not easy to take, and she knew she would be wounded during the fighting, though this held her back in no way. Four forts, two on one side and two on the other, had to be taken. All of them were. She told the men at least one of their plans to take a fort would not succeed, so they asked and followed her advice and took the fort. After Orleans, over the following weeks, she led the men in more stunning victories, one after another.
Soon, the new King Charles VII was crowned at Reims with Joan at his side. When a truce with the Anglo-Burgundians halted fighting, she was at a loss, not being able to continue driving them from France. When fighting resumed, she knew that she would be captured Midsummer’s Day. She was eventually sold by John of Luxembourg to the English for a hefty sum, allegedly several hundred thousand dollars today. She was only 18.
Superstitiously afraid of her, the English recruited corrupt Anglo-Burgundian church members, and threatened others, to collaborate with the corrupt Pierre Cauchon, bishop of Beauvais. Though a religious pretense was used, the trial was as much political as anything and it was felt she must die. But is this not what St. Paul spoke of? That is the essence of all our battles in this life comes down to spiritual warfare, between the powers of good and the powers of darkness?
“Therefore take unto you the armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the truth, and having the breastplate of justice. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).
“By all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the spirit; and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for all the saints: And for me, that speech may be given me, that I may open my mouth with confidence, to make known the mystery of the gospel. For which I am an ambassador in the chain, so that therein I may be bold to speak according as I ought” (Eph. 6:11-20).
Joan objected strongly to being kept in a secular jail rather than a religious one, when this was supposedly to be an ecclesiastical court. To keep lustful eyes at bay, she felt safer wearing her male clothing. Yet her accusers were so evil, one of the offenses of which she was convicted was heresy . . . for wearing a man’s clothes. For four months, mid-February to mid-May or so, she stood firm as they examined her, condemned her, tried to trick her, she recanted and then was jailed again. There is no doubt she must have been sustained by God.
Indeed, one of the trick questions put to her on trial was asking if she was in God’s grace. She answered, “If I am not in God’s grace, may God put me there. If I am, may God keep me there.” If she had said yes, she would have been guilty of presumption, if no, likewise condemned. The 18-year-old who could not read nor write had trumped them yet again.
Joan, imprisoned by the English whom she detested on principle, threatened with torture, and utterly abandoned by Charles and the French, still had faith. It was her backbone, and it rang in her many cries of battle to her last comments to her executioners. Learning of her impending death by fire, she said “Bishop, I die through you.” Briefly it was said she recanted, agreeing only to a few lines of text, and only “so far as it was God’s will.” But her enemies prepared a terribly long document she never saw and alleged it was hers. But then she went back on it, in wearing male clothing that was deliberately left in her way but forbidden for her to wear. On this basis she was sentenced to burn.
She, who said, “I have told you often enough that I have done nothing but by God’s command,” died asking them: “Hold the crucifix up before my eyes so that I may see it until I die.” She had gone to Confession and received Communion. The Maid’s last words were, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”
Her family asked the Pope to revisit the circumstances of her death 23 years after she died and Pope Callistus III fully exonerated her.
Five hundred years later, the Church canonized the Maid of Orleans. Her feast is May 30.
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