Joan of Arc

Noble Joan!

2012-01-23T10:33:00.000-08:00

Sometime during the winter of 1429-1430 Charles VII elevated Joan of Arc and her entire family to nobility. In the official document that Charles executed he referred to Joan as “dear and beloved” and explained that her whole family was ennobled “that the memory of the divine glory and of so many favors may endure and increase forever.” Joan was given the family name of du Lys with armorial bearings(coat-of-arms) as Charles had created for her previously in June of 1429 of a sword supporting a crown with a fleur-de-lis on each side.

While Joan later stated at her trial that she had never personally used the armorial bearings and that the King had given them to her brothers the elevation to nobility was a huge honor for Joan and her family and one that she well deserved.

Vive la Joan of Arc!

2012 The Year of Joan of Arc!

2012-01-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

The recent 600th anniversary of Joan’s birth produced a huge amount of news coverage all around the world and many people are now referring to 2012 as "The Year of Joan of Arc.” Lest anyone need a reminder as to why Joan of Arc is so special and deserving of honor throughout this year I thought I would re-print a few of the many words written in praise of Joan over the years by some of the world’s greatest writers and leaders:

"Whatever thing men call great, look for it in Joan of Arc, and there you will find it."
Mark Twain-19th Century American Writer

"Joan was a being so uplifted from the ordinary run of mankind that she finds no equal in a thousand years."
Winston Churchill-Legendary British Prime Minister in WWII

"She was the consummation and ideal of two noble human efforts towards perfection. The peasant's daughter was the Flower of Chivalry, brave, gentle, merciful, courteous, kind, and loyal....She was the most perfect daughter of her Church....her conscience, by frequent confession, was kept fair and pure as the lilies of Paradise."
Andrew Lang-19th Century Scottish Writer and Historian

"...next to the Christ, the highest spiritual being of whom we have any exact record upon this earth is the girl Jeanne"
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle-Famous Scottish author of Sherlock Holmes Fame.

"Jeanne d'Arc does not belong to France alone but also to all those whose thoughts are elevated enough to grasp the superior and beautiful among goodness."
Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel-19th Century French Painter

CELEBRATE Joan of Arc’s 600th Birthday!

2012-01-04T06:20:00.000-08:00

LIGHT A CANDLE FOR SAINT JOAN ON HER BIRTHDAY!
“She is easily the most extraordinary person
the human race has ever produced.”

January 6, 2012 marks the 600th anniversary of St. Joan of Arc’s birth and there are few people in all of history as deserving of honor and remembrance on their birthday. As Mark Twain very accurately said of Joan: “She is easily the most extraordinary person the human race has ever produced.” For this reason all of 2012 is being called the year of Joan with many celebrations taking place worldwide throughout the year starting with parades held in Paris and in New Orleans on January 6 to celebrate on the day of her birth.

You don’t need to attend a large event to celebrate, however, as we can all take a moment on Joan’s birthday this Friday to remember her and honor her. I encourage everyone to light a candle for Joan on her birthday. I have been celebrating this way for several years and there is something almost mystical about lighting a candle and taking a few quiet moments to remember Joan and to reflect upon her life and all that she has come to mean to so many people.

If you need a little help preparing to celebrate Joan’s 600th Birthday then please visit the special page at MaidOfHeaven.com devoted to Joan’s birthday. This page contains many actual quotes from people who knew Joan and her family when she was growing up:
Joan of Arc's Birthday Page

And if you have not done so already you should definitely read the paper I wrote this year to celebrate Joan’s 600th Birthday anniversary that explains the significance of Joan’s birth on the Epiphany titled:
Saint Joan of Arc: A Brilliantly Shining Light of God

Happy Birthday Saint Joan of Arc!

Joan of Arc’s 600th Birthday and the Significance of Her Birth on the Epiphany.

2011-12-26T06:05:00.000-08:00

In eleven days on January 6th of 2012 it will be the 600th anniversary of Saint Joan of Arc’s birth and there will be worldwide celebrations to honor Joan and remember the brilliance of her life. What a contrast, indeed, to the humble way that she entered the world as a simple peasant baby born in an obscure little town. No one among the few friends and family who were aware of Joan’s birth in 1412 would have ever believed that this little baby would grow up to lead the armies of France to victory and become one of the most beloved Saints of God. In fact, the birth of peasant girls in Joan’s day was considered so insignificant that her birth was never even officially recorded however the people of her hometown did remember that Joan had been born on the Feast of the Epiphany. While the people of the world had no idea what Joan would become God in His infinite wisdom of course knew and He may have given the world a clue about Joan with the timing of her birth on the Epiphany. To celebrate Joan’s 600th birthday and as a present to her I thought I would try to explain the great significance of the timing of Joan’s birth on the Epiphany.

Saint Joan of Arc: A Brilliantly Shining Light of God
The Significance of Joan of Arc’s Birth on the Epiphany

“Most beautiful Maid of Heaven, how brilliant is your light.
Like a shining star you point the way to the Father of all light.”
These opening sentences to Maid of Heaven serve not only as a poetic tribute to the brilliance of Saint Joan of Arc’s life but are also an analogy to the birth of Christ and to Saint Joan’s ultimate mission for God to lead people to Christ. That Saint Joan was actually born on the Epiphany seems to be God’s own exclamation point that this was indeed her greatest mission in her short life here on earth. The significance of Joan’s birth on the Epiphany, therefore, can not be understated and considering the amount of mystical phenomena indwelled in her life’s story it seems rather amazing that the exact timing of her birth on the Epiphany has received so little attention by the legions of writers and artists who have covered Joan in every conceivable form of human expression over the years.

Since I finished writing Maid of Heaven in 2006 I have found myself more than a little reluctant to discuss some of the deeper elements of this poem because I fear it will be too difficult to explain to most people because of what I can only refer to as the mysteries of God. Maid of Heaven was for the most part written “in the Spirit” which is a term that most people have heard however few seem to understand or accept. Since Maid of Heaven was written “in the Spirit” it means that while I wrote the words on paper I was not completely aware of all that I was writing at the time. A prime example are the opening sentences which I am now going to attempt to fully explain because I feel that the great significance of Saint Joan’s birth on the Epiphany is something I MUST convey to people.
To continue reading the rest of this paper please visit MaidOfHeaven.com by clicking here

Christmas for Saint Joan of Arc

2011-12-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

One can only wonder about how Saint Joan of Arc celebrated Christmas as there is unfortunately nothing in the historic records however there is little doubt that Christmas would have been a very special time for Joan given her intense love and devotion to God. While Joan was growing up in the small town of Domremy she most likely would have attended at least one worship service and possible more on Christmas day at the little church of St. Remy located just next door to her house. Joan may also have made a pilgrimage to the nearby chapel of Notre-Dame de Bermont dedicated to Mary the mother of Christ. Several of the people from Domremy remember seeing Joan “make confession on Easter and on other feast days” so she is likely to have done so as well on Christmas day. However Joan celebrated Christmas she would have focused on Jesus as this was the focus of her life (read last years Christmas blog entry Jesus & Joan for more).

In the days when Joan lived the Christmas celebration continued for twelve days until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th which was the day of greatest celebration in medieval times. [For those who don’t already know the celebration of the Epiphany in Christian tradition refers to the revelation of God to man in the person of Jesus Christ and the central part of the celebration features the arrival of the “Wise Men” who were led to the baby Jesus by a shining star.] For Joan this day was even more special as this was also her birthday. As a gift to Joan for Christmas and for the 600th anniversary of her birthday I recently wrote a paper detailing the significance of Joan of Arc’s birth on the Epiphany titled: "Saint Joan of Arc: A Brilliantly Shining Light of God." This paper will be posted online next week so please check back then.

Until then, a Merry ChristMASS to all!

Countdown to Joan of Arc’s 600th Birthday

2011-12-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

We are now only a month away from celebrating the 600th anniversary of Saint Joan of Arc’s birth. To help you countdown a special clock was added to the birthday page at MaidOfHeaven.com that will reach zero at 12 midnight on January 5th in the town of Domremy where Joan was born. The clock currently shows a little more than 30 days to go which can be seen at the top of the page for
Joan of Arc’s Birthday

Please bookmark this page and check back anytime to see how much time is left. This page also contains details about Joan’s birth including quotes from the people who knew her the best and several new pictures of Joan, such as the one at the top of this article titled La Petite Jeannette, were recently added.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CELEBRATE JOAN’S 6OOTH BIRTHDAY!

As part of my own celebration I just recently finished writing a paper titled: Saint Joan of Arc: A Brilliantly Shining Light of God - The Significance of Joan of Arc’s Birth on the Epiphany. I will post this paper here at this blog just after Christmas so please check back then.

Jesus+Maria

Saint Joan of Arc and Veterans Day

2011-11-10T02:51:00.000-08:00

How appropriate it is to remember Saint Joan of Arc on Veterans Day as she is the Patron Saint of Soldiers and was herself one of the greatest soldiers to ever live. Veterans Day began as Remembrance Day or Armistice Day and is celebrated every November 11th on the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice to end World War I. During World War I there were many reports of Saint Joan appearing to soldiers to inspire them onward in their duty as soldiers for God and country. The picture below is from the book The Broken Soldier and the Maid of France which is a fictional story based loosely upon some of these reports.

One episode from the life of Saint Joan that best demonstrates her own great love and compassion for soldiers occurred just after her greatest victory at the Battle of Patay. Coming across a mortally wounded enemy soldier Joan dismounted from her horse and held the man’s head in her lap and comforted him as he died. In reflecting upon this incident from her life one can only wonder as to the mysteries of God and how through His grace the likelihood that Saint Joan has continued to comfort dying soldiers in a similar way as their loving patron saint.

This Veterans Day let us remember Saint Joan and her example as the ultimate soldier: strong yet merciful, courageous yet loving. A true soldier of God!

Last Great Victory for Joan of Arc

2011-11-02T01:17:00.000-07:00

"I am not alone! I have fifty thousand of my own company to fight with me!"

In the autumn of 1429, Charles VII seems to have been completely under the influence of his advisors who urged negotiation rather than battle. In light of this policy Joan of Arc was used in only a limited role when it suited the King and his advisors. For whatever reason they decided to send her to the strategically insignificant town of St. Pierre le Moutier where Joan once again showed her military brilliance by capturing the town despite having limited troops and supplies with which to overcome a stout defense.

During the battle when it appeared that all was lost and her men were retreating Joan again showed her courage and great leadership in completely turning the course of the battle. Joan’s aide-de-camp(my modern title) Jean d’Aulon describes the scene later at her trial of rehabilitation: “After the Maid and her soldiers had maintained the siege before the city for some time, an assault was ordered and made and all did their duty. But because of the great strength of the place, and also the great resistance made by those within, the French were forced to retreat. At this hour he who speaks, being wounded by an arrow in the heel, as such without crutches I could neither move nor sustain myself, saw that the Maid had remained behind with very few soldiers indeed. Fearing what might follow I mounted a horse, and hastily riding to her I asked her what she was doing there alone and why she had not retreated like the rest of the men. But the Maid, lifting the face guard of her helmet replied: ‘I am not alone! I have fifty thousand of my own company to fight with me and retreat I will not until I have taken this town.’ Whatever she might have said she had not with her more than four of five men, as I know for certain as do several others who were looking on, so I urged her to retreat like the rest. Then she told me to tell the men to bring faggots and brush to make a bridge across the moat which she yelled to the rest in a loud voice.”

Shortly thereafter the moat was filled and the town was taken by assault with little resistance to the amazement of d’Aulon. St. Joan of Arc once again prevailed against impossible odds however this was to be her last great victory. While she continued until her capture to have military successes she never again stormed and captured a city the way she did that day in early November of 1429 at Saint Pierre le Moutier.

***(Joan's words at St. Pierre le Moutier are very similar to those of the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 6:23-24 about the unseen army of God all around us.)

Joan's Amazing Leap

2011-10-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

During the month October in 1430, Joan of Arc was held prisoner at the Castle of Beaurevoir by the Burgundians who had captured her. Joan had been waiting since the end of May to be ransomed back to her own forces which was the normal custom of the time for military prisoners of war. Unfortunately for Joan the English were not ever going to allow her to again lead armies against them and were negotiating with the Burgundian John of Luxemburg to have Joan sold to them. Joan knew that if she were delivered into English hands she was as good as dead because they had always yelled taunts at her that if they captured her they would burn her.

Joan apparently knew about the negotiations to sell her to the English because she became desperate enough to attempt an escape by jumping from the window of the tower where she was held which was at least sixty feet above the ground. Later at her trial Joan explained about her escape attempt: “I was sold to the English and I preferred to die rather than be in the hands of the English.” Somehow Joan managed to survive the sixty foot drop that would have killed most people but she was knocked unconscious and was later found by her captors ending her escape attempt.

The miraculous feat of Joan surviving such a long fall was recently driven home to me when I had my own fall off of a ladder from about nine feet above the ground. I was very fortunate that I hit on my side and did not break any bones but I was busted up pretty bad with damage to my hand, knees, and face. It is five months later and I am just now getting back to normal with my front teeth still being a little sore. When I think about Joan falling sixty feet with no damage to herself all I can say is amazing, which is the same exclamation that can be used for so much of Joan’s life: AMAZING!

Saint Joan Needs Your Help!

2011-10-05T08:46:00.001-07:00

If you have performed a Google search for Joan of Arc lately then you may have noticed that the #1 result returned is for a band named Joan of Arc. This came to my attention about a month ago and after researching this site and band I was able to determine that they have nothing whatsoever to do with the real Saint Joan of Arc. What really disturbs me the most are the offensive and pornographic words used in titles to songs and albums that jumped out at me when I visited this website. I know there have to be millions of school children using Google to research Joan of Arc and instead of finding what they are looking for they are being sent to this website instead. This is terrible and is something Google should deal with if for no other reason than this website has nothing at all to do with the real Joan of Arc and grossly violates their advertised policy to provide the most relevant search results. Below is the letter I sent yesterday to Google complaining about this spam site.

I encourage all of you to complain as well and if you need specific instructions on how to complain to Google online then please visit this special page below:
Page about Spam in Joan of Arc Google Search

Jesus+Maria

Another Spiritual Lesson from Joan

2011-09-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

“Aide toi et Dieu t'aidera”
“Aid yourself and God will aid you”

This spiritual truth is one that Saint Joan of Arc exemplified in her life and actions and one that I was only personally able to completely comprehend through studying Joan. I had always heard the old saying that “God helps those who help themselves” however I was taught in the churches that I attended that this was not true because these exact words are not contained in the Bible. When I came to the part of Joan’s life where she was examined by theologians prior to her being given command of the armies of France she was asked: “If God desires to deliver France where is the need for soldiers?” Joan famously responded: “In God’s name, the soldiers will fight and He will grant victory.” The priests examining Joan understood that Joan was correctly saying that God will aid those who attempt to aid themselves trusting in God for the ultimate victory such as the example of David when he stepped forward to face Goliath trusting God for victory.

I was recently reminded again of this spiritual truth in a way that made me think of Joan when a friend of mine sent me a link to a news article about Robert E. Lee’s sword. What caught my attention were the words contained on one side of the sword: Aide toi et Dieu t'aidera. These are the French words that Joan is renowned for speaking during her life and it is highly likely that the French craftsman who made this sword placed them on the sword in memory of one Christian general as a present for another. It is easy to envision Robert E. Lee gazing upon this sword and drawing strength from these words during the darkest moments of his life. (For more go to Joan of Arc & Robert E Lee)

Thank you Joan for continuing to teach me along with everyone else about the truths of God.

Joan at Paris

2011-09-07T00:34:00.000-07:00

Joan Of Arc may have failed in her attempt to liberate Paris but few military commanders in history have acquitted themselves so admirable in a defeat. On September 8, 1429, Joan led an assault upon the St. Honore gate at Paris in an attempt to breach the strong walls surrounding the city which ultimately ended in failure when Joan was wounded in the thigh around dusk after a long day of fighting. Not willing to admit defeat herself Joan continued to encourage her men to attack and had to be forcible carried from the battle field. While historians have long debated about the factors that led to the French defeat at Paris one thing that has never been questioned is Joan’s valor. As historian Andrew Lang eloquently writes in his own commentary about Joan at Paris:

“But, through the mist, one figure stands out clear in the sunlight, discerned alike by friend and foe; a girl of seventeen in white armour, who lets herself down into the deep dry fosse, who climbs out on to the dos d'dne under the city wall, and, like Bruce at Perth, fathoms the water of the great fosse with her lance, under a rain of projectiles, till she is smitten through the thigh. Undaunted, unweakened, she cries on the men. History shows no other such picture.”

The following scene from the 1999 movie Joan of Arc is a touching, if not exactly historically accurate, portrayal of Joan’s failure at Paris.

To learn more about Joan at Paris visit these resources at MaidOfHeaven.com:

Eyewitness accounts of Joan of Arc at Paris
Andrew Lang's chapter about Joan at Paris

Joan of Arc leads people to God!

2011-08-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts about studying Joan Of Arc is how much you will learn about God. In one of the first interviews I did after writing Maid of Heaven I commented about “how much I was able to learn about God from studying her life.” Here it is several years later and the lessons continue. Recently I was given a picture of a beautiful statue of Joan by my friend and fellow Joan devotee Chris Snidow of PilgrimWitnesses.com. I was intrigued by this statue and wanted to learn more about it.

After contacting another good friend of both mine and Saint Joan, Virginia Frohlick of the St. Joan of Arc Center Online, I found out that the statue portrays a young Joan up at midnight to listen to her Voices. I believe I am drawn to artistic representations of Joan as just a simple young woman because they better demonstrate the great power of God in her life. This particular statue really emphasizes this truth because on it’s base are inscribed the following verses from Psalm 27:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."

Thank you Joan for another lesson on what a great God it is that we serve.

Jesus+Maria

Watch Deadliest Warrior TV program featuring Joan

2011-08-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

For everyone who was unable to watch the Deadliest Warrior program featuring Joan on cable TV the entire episode is available below:

Joan of Arc vs. William the Conqueror Episode

Joan of Arc vs. William the Conqueror
Get More: Joan of Arc vs. William the Conqueror

You can also find it online at Joan of Arc on Deadliest Warrior

Joan portrayed on Deadliest Warrior TV program

2011-07-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Deadliest Warrior TV program that aired this past Wednesday night included Joan in their most recent show titled Joan of Arc vs. William the Conqueror. This show is kind of cross between a history documentary and a professional sports event with three commentators as “experts” breaking down the match up. I enjoyed seeing the weapons demonstrations and thought they did a reasonably good job of portraying Joan however they seemed to have a lot of trouble explaining Joan’s divine inspiration. I think they would have helped themselves by relating what the men who followed Joan said about her as they all shared the same sentiment.

"I believe that Joan was sent by God and that her deeds in the war were the fruit of divine inspiration rather than of human agency." Jean de Metz

"All of the Maid's exploits seemed to me rather divine and miraculous than otherwise. It would have been impossible for any as young as the Maid to have performed such deeds except at the will and guidance of God." Jean d’Aulon

All in all I thought the program was well worth watching and except for one comment by their Doctor about Joan being bipolar (ridiculous) they presented Joan in a way that was positive and should inspire many viewers to want to learn more about her amazing life.

Vive la Joan!

Crowning of Charles VII Anniversary

2011-07-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

“… the Dauphin will be made King, and it is I who will conduct him to the coronation.”

On July 17, 1429, Joan of Arc fulfilled her mission to lead Charles VII to his coronation and anointing as King. Joan had predicted that she would lead Charles to his crowing in Reims when she had begun her mission only a few months earlier. What had seemed impossible to everyone except Joan occurred that summer day in late July of 1429 in the Cathedral of Reims when Charles VII was crowned King of France. All the French people loyal to Charles rejoiced at his crowning as echoed by Christine de Pisan in her epic poem The Song of Joan of Arc:

"Now let us welcome our King!
Rejoice at his return from his fall,
overjoyed at the site of his splendor.
Let us all both great and small
step forward to greet him-no one
hold back-salute him with joyful face.
Praising God who has been so kind
let shouts of "Noel!" fill the place."
Christine’s poem was finished shortly after the crowning of Charles VII in Reims and reflects the national sentiments toward Joan of Arc at that time and is well worth reading to better understand the huge impact that this event had upon the people of France. An English translation is available online at MaidOfHeaven.com at
The Song of Joan of Arc by Christine de Pisan

You can also learn more about the coronation and the city of Reims by visiting this page about:
Joan of Arc & Reims

Vive la Joan

The 600th Anniversary of Joan of Arc’s Birthday

2011-07-06T09:08:00.001-07:00

Next year will mark the 600th anniversary of the birth of St. Joan of Arc and we are now only six months away from this milestone so I thought it was a good time to make sure that everyone is aware of what is coming. There are many events planned worldwide to celebrate including a parade in New Orleans and a pilgrimage in France to name just a few. The picture below of the statue of Joan with her Voices at the Basilica of St. Joan of Arc near Domremy was taken just last month and you can see how the statues have been recently cleaned and re-painted to get ready.

How are you planning to celebrate Joan’s 600th birthday anniversary next year?

Learn more abut Joan’s birthday and the 600th anniversary at:
Joan of Arc's Birthday

Joan’s Great Victory at Patay

2011-06-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

June 18th is the anniversary of Joan’s great victory at Patay on June 18, 1429. While this was Joan’s most overwhelming victory where she annihilated an English army of a least six thousand while losing only a handful of men I have never felt that she receives proper credit for this great victory by most modern historians. Examples of what I mean can be found in the book Joan of Arc: A Military Leader published in 1999 where author Kelly Devries says that “she assisted in the French victory at the battle of Patay” and online in the wikipedia article (disclaimer: I do not consider wikipedia to be a valid historical reference) which says: “Although credited to Joan of Arc, most of the fighting took place at the vanguard of the French army and the battle was over before the main body could arrive.” To me such “criticism,” and that is what it is, would be like saying that Robert E. Lee does not deserve credit for the great victory at Chancellorsville because he was not personally present with Jackson’s flanking corps which is something no true historian would ever try to argue.

I wrote a good article last year about Joan of Arc and the Battle of Patay that relies heavily upon the words of the people present and clearly shows just how much Joan was responsible for the victory at Patay. Please read it and decide for yourself exactly how much credit Joan deserves in leading the French to their overwhelming victory at Patay.

Joan of Arc & the Battle of Patay

Memorial Day and Joan of Arc

2011-05-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

How appropriate that Memorial Day this year falls on the anniversary of Joan of Arc’s death on May 30, 1431, which is her Feast Day. Memorial Day began in America as a way to remember fallen soldiers and honor them for their service and ultimate sacrifice. While Saint Joan of Arc was not an American soldier she certainly was the epitome of a true soldier and deserves to be remembered and honored for her service to all humankind. Joan’s feast day is celebrated every year by Catholics on the anniversary of her death and is essentially her memorial day. There is a special page at MaidOfHeaven.com commemorating Joan’s Feast Day which gives eyewitness accounts of her last moments and the heroic way that she died. Joan of Arc Feast Day
As we honor and remember our brave soldiers here in America today I hope everyone will also take a moment to remember and honor Saint Joan of Arc in a similar way for the great soldier of God that she was.

Vive la Jehanne!

Victory at Orleans

2011-05-08T00:33:00.000-07:00

On a May 8th Sunday like today in 1429 Joan of Arc achieved complete victory at Orleans. On the morning of May 8th following the previous day’s spectacular storming and taking of the fort Les Tourelles by the French, the English defenders remaining around Orleans left their siege positions and assembled in order of battle in an open field near the city. The French forces came out of Orleans to oppose the English and for an hour the two armies faced each other. During this time Joan called for mass to be held. A citizen of Orleans, Jean de Champeaux, later testified as to what happened next: “The masses completed, Joan said to look and see whether the English were facing them. "No, the English are turned towards Meung,” someone replied. ‘In God’s name,’ Joan replied, ‘They are going. Let them go, while we go give thanks to God and pursue them no farther, since today is Sunday.” And thus total victory was achieved at Orleans as the English retreated away from Orleans. Joan and her army returned to Orleans and celebrated with the citizens of Orleans, a celebration that is renewed every year on May 8th in honor of the “Maid of Orleans.”

Anniversary of Joan Entering Orleans

2011-04-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

On April 29, 1429, Joan arrived before the city of Orleans with her army and was greeted by the military commander of the city Jean Count of Dunois who was known as the Bastard of Orleans. Joan was not happy that her captains had not chosen the most direct route to Orleans and displayed her anger in responding to the greeting by Dunois: "Are you the Bastard of Orleans? Was it you who gave counsel that I come here, on this side of the river, and that I am not to go directly where are Talbot and the English?" Joan went on to say:

"In God's name, the counsel of our Lord is safer and wiser than yours. You have thought to deceive me, and you deceive yourself still more; for I bring you better succor than ever came to any knight or city whatever, seeing that it is the succor of the King of Heaven. Nevertheless, it comes to you not through love of me; it proceeds from God himself, who at the request of Saint Louis and Saint Charlemagne, has had pity for the city of Orleans, and has not wished that the enemy should at the same time possess the person the duke and his city."

Despite the harsh greeting, Dunois was thrilled at the arrival of Joan and her army and later described how he felt that the circumstances of her arrival and a miraculous changing of the wind that aided in their crossing of the river Loire into the town led him to believe Joan could only have been sent by God:

“And she crossed the river Loire with La Hire and myself, and we entered all together the town of Orleans. These are the reasons why I think that Joan, and all her deeds in war and in battle, were rather God's work than man's: the sudden changing of the wind, I mean, after she had spoken, which gave hope of aid, and the bringing in of the provisions in spite of the English, who were much stronger than the royal army, and the fact, furthermore, that this young girl swore that she had had a vision in which Saint Louis and Saint Charlemagne prayed to God for the safety of the King and of this city."

To learn more about Joan’s entry into Orleans visit this page about Orleans and Joan of Arc at MaidOfHeaven.com

Joan The Woman

2011-03-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

When people picture Joan of Arc they generally see her as either the great warrior or the inspired saint, both of which she certainly was, however she was also at her core a simple young woman and really probably more accurately just a girl. I recently acquired an engraved plate of the picture of Joan above that I really love because of the way that the artist portrays Joan. According to the information I found about this artist, Henrietta Ward, she was inspired to paint this scene by the words below by the nineteenth century English writer Philip Henry Stanhope (Lord Mahon) who said of Joan: "Her young heart beat high with enthusiasm for her native France, now beset and beleaguered by the island strangers. Her young fancy loved to dwell on those distant battles, the din of which might scarcely reach her quiet village, but each apparently hastening the ruin of her fatherland. We can picture to ourselves how earnestly the destined heroine-the future leader of armies-might question those chance travelers whom, as we are told, she delighted to relieve, and for whose use she would often resign her own chamber, as to each fresh report from the changeful scene of war."

When I look at Joan in this picture I see in her face a look of consternation and concern for the beaten down soldier of France which reveals the deep love and compassion that she possessed for the people of her country. It reminds me of the words that Joan’s own mother later spoke about her: “Because the people suffered so much, she had a great compassion for them in her heart and despite her youth she would fast and pray for them with great devotion and fervor.”

This picture also reminds me just how young Joan was: only sixteen when she left home for good and only a few months into her seventeenth year when she led the armies of France to victory. As I contemplate all that this exquisite picture conveys I am left with the thought:

“With God all things are possible”

International Women’s Day

2011-03-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

Joan of Arc continues to be a great inspiration to women and will undoubtedly receive a great deal of coverage today on International Women’s Day and throughout March during Women’s History Month. From the beginning of the Women’s movement Joan has been heralded as the epitome of a strong women and her likeness has been used countless times to promote women’s rights such as the poster below promoting women’s suffrage from the early 20th century.

My hope this year is that during all the exposure that Joan receives people will really learn about the true qualities that Joan possessed that made her so strong and such a great women. One of my favorite quotes about Joan by Scottish author and historian Andrew Lang speaks volumes about who Joan really was as both a women and as a person:
"She was the consummation and ideal of two noble human efforts towards perfection. The peasant's daughter was the Flower of Chivalry, brave, gentle, merciful, courteous, kind, and loyal....She was the most perfect daughter of her Church....her conscience, by frequent confession, was kept fair and pure as the lilies of Paradise."

Joan First Meets Charles VII Anniversary

2011-03-07T11:38:00.000-08:00

On or around March 7, 1429, Joan of Arc first met Charles VII and the circumstances of their first meeting is one of the many miraculous events in the life of Joan of Arc. According to an eyewitness, Joan, who had never before seen Charles VII or had any idea what he looked like, was able to easily find him in a crowd of people. Apparently Charles had withdrawn into the crowd of people at his court in the castle at Chinon as a way to test her upon learning about her arrival. It must have made a great first impression on Charles that Joan was able to find him out so easily. They withdrew together and had a private conversation where Joan apparently told Charles some secrets that caused him to have “great confidence” in her as he later told some of hose who had witnessed their first meeting.
To learn more including some eyewitness accounts visit the page at MaidOfHeaven.com titled

Joan of Arc & Charles VII: First Meeting

Joan of Arc Movie

2011-02-24T10:56:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a good movie to watch about Joan of Arc you might try the 1948 movie “Joan of Arc” starring Ingrid Bergman. I received an email earlier today from a friend advising that this movie will be broadcast by TCM (Turner Classic Movies) this coming Sunday February 27th (Check your local schedule for exact time).
“This 1948 movie about Joan of Arc is my favorite out of all the Joan of Arc movies because it stays closest to the established history. I especially like the way they incorporated so many of Joan's most famous quotes into the script. Is it perfect, no, but then the perfect movie about Saint Joan has yet to be made and this one at least tries to stay close to the true story of Joan of Arc” from my review about this movie avialable at:
Joan of Arc Book Movie Music Reviews
You can also find more reviews on this page about most of the other movies that have been made about Joan of Arc.

Enjoy!

Joan of Arc's Faith

2011-02-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to set up a special page about Saint Joan’s amazing faith for some time but was inspired to get it done after reading the great comments by Pope Benedict XVI. Joan’s love for God was central to her very being and anyone wanting to really comprehend who she was and what motivated her must be able to understand her faith. The page at MaidOfHeaven.com contains numerous quotes about Joan’s faith by the people who knew her when she was alive as well as quotes by Joan herself abut God.

Learn About Joan of Arc’s Faith Here

Joan-of-Arc

Pope Remembers Saint Joan of Arc

2011-01-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

After seeing little to no coverage of Saint Joan of Arc’s birthday earlier this month I was pleasantly surprised to see a great many news reports today about some remarks Pope Benedict XVI made earlier today in Rome praising Joan for being an example to follow for those in public service. Below is the substance of the Pope’s remarks about Joan:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our catechesis today deals with Saint Joan of Arc, one of the outstanding women of the later Middle Ages. Raised in a religious family, Joan enjoyed mystical experiences from an early age. At a time of crisis in the Church and of war in her native France, she felt God’s call to a life of prayer and virginity, and to personal engagement in the liberation of her compatriots. At the age of seventeen, Joan began her mission among the French military forces; she sought to negotiate a just Christian peace between the English and French, took an active part in the siege of Orleans and witnessed the coronation of Charles VII at Reims.

Captured by her enemies the next year, she was tried by an ecclesiastical court and burnt at the stake as a heretic; she died invoking the name of Jesus. Her unjust condemnation was overturned twenty-five years later. At the heart of Saint Joan’s spirituality was an unfailing love for Christ and, in Christ, for the Church and for her neighbor. May the prayers and example of Saint Joan of Arc inspire many lay men and women to devote themselves to public life in the service of God’s Kingdom, and encourage all of us to live to the fullest our lofty calling in Christ."

Watch Video on MaidOfHeaven.com page about Pope Benedict XVI and Joan of Arc

Thank you Pope Benedict XVI for helping the world to remember what a great example Joan of Arc is to everyone!

More FREE Joan of Arc Books Online

2011-01-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

Several new books about Joan of Arc have been added at MaidOfHeaven.com bringing the total number of free online books to eleven. One recently added is Andrew Lang's Maid of France which is well written and well researched and one of my favorite biographies about Joan of Arc.

Read Lang's Maid of France HERE

Also recently added is Christine de Pisan's famous poem about Joan titled the The Song of Joan of Arc or Ditie de Jehanne d'Arc. This is a very beautiful poem in tribute to Joan of Arc.

Read Song of Joan of Arc HERE

For a complete list of all the free books available at MaidOfHeaven.com visit

Free Online Joan of Arc Books

Enjoy!

Thanks!!!

2011-01-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who helped me to celebrate Saint Joan of Arc’s Birthday this year. The following websites were especially helpful in getting the word out:

Spirit Daily
BigNews.Biz
Free Republic
Roman Catholic Catechism
Catholic Mom in Hawaii Blog

If anyone is wondering why you see little to no coverage of St. Joan of Arc’s Birthday by the mainstream news services well that is a good question. To me it is just more proof of how corrupt and irrelevant our mainstream “Press” has become. Joan is the most famous women to ever live and if you look at the news archives from 100 years ago you will see that she received all kinds of news coverage on her birthday. This is just another example of how today’s “Press” only covers “news” that they are either being paid to cover or is consistent with their social and political agendas for which they are also paid to promote. So much for our so called “Free Press.” Sorry for the rant against the press on this blog devoted to Saint Joan but I also value true freedom as much as St. Joan of Arc did and examples like this really disgust me.

Deo Vindice!

Joan's Birthday

2011-01-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

"It was during the night of the Epiphany of Our Lord when men are wont most joyfully to recall the acts of Christ that she first saw the light in this mortal life”

Tomorrow will mark the 599th anniversary of the birth of Joan of Arc and I hope everyone will have a chance to celebrate in their own way. I recently added a quote on the MaidOfHeaven.com quotes page by 19th century French artist Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel that reflects some of my own sentiments about Joan:
"Jeanne d'Arc does not belong to France alone but also to all those whose thoughts are elevated enough to grasp the superior and beautiful among goodness."

I will celebrate Joan’s birthday tomorrow by lighting a candle in her honor and by re-reading my poem Maid of Heaven that I wrote to her. I celebrate this way every year and try to spend some time alone with her and God remembering her for who she was and is in Christ. I hope all of you will find your own way tomorrow to honor and remember Saint Joan of Arc.

Jesus & Joan

2010-12-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a good time to talk about the real focus of Saint Joan of Arc’s life as she was clearly focused upon serving Jesus Christ as she showed in everything that she did. Joan had the name of Jesus and his mother Mary placed upon her famous banner along with a picture of God holding the world. Go here for more about Joan’s Banner

Joan also wore a ring that had been given to her by her parents that she described as having three crosses and the names of Jesus and Mary. Go here for more about Joan’s Ring

Even the letters that Joan sent out usually contained a cross along with the names Jesus-Maria. Go here for more about Joan’s Letters

In all that she did Joan of Arc honored Jesus and everyone around her saw her great faith and were inspired by her devotion and piety. The following words by Joan’s childhood friend Hauviette are typical of the descriptions of Joan that were later recorded by everyone that knew her: “Joan was a good, simple and sweet-natured girl, she went often and of her own will to church and the sacred places and often she was ashamed because of people remarking how she went so devoutly to church.”

Merry CHRISTmass to all or as Joan would say:

JESUS MARIA

Joan of Arc's Coat of Arms

2010-12-14T07:33:00.000-08:00

Joan was awarded a armorial bearings more commonly referred to as a "coat of arms" by Charles VII on June 2, 1429.
I recreated her coat of arms based upon the drawing by Charles VII and the description Joan gave at her trial. A copy of Charles VII's drawing and Joan's description are available at:
http://www.maidofheaven.com/joanofarc_coat_of_arms.asp

Vive la Joan

Joan of Arc's Friends & Companions

2010-12-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

One way to better understand Joan of Arc is to examine some of the people she interacted with while she lived. Several new pages have been added at MaidOfHeaven.com that give information about some of the key people in her life like her father and mother as well as many of the soldiers that fought with her like the Duke of Alencon and La Hire. To learn more about them try the following pages:

Jacques d’Arc – Joan’s Father
Isabelle Romee – Joan’s Mother
LaHire
Duke of Alencon

For a complete index go to:
Joan of Arc Friends & Companions

Mark Twain & Joan of Arc

2010-11-16T08:08:00.000-08:00

Mark Twain had a great admiration for Saint Joan of Arc for almost his entire life. As his biographer A.B. Paine explains, Twain’s interest in Joan started one day in Hannibal, Missouri when he was a young man working as a printer’s apprentice:

“He was on his way from the office to his home one afternoon when he saw flying along the pavement a square of paper, a leaf from a book. ... He caught the flying scrap and examined it. It was a leaf from some history of Joan of Arc. The "maid" was described in the cage at Rouen, in the fortress, and the two ruffian English soldiers had stolen her clothes. ... there arose within him a deep compassion for the gentle Maid of Orleans, a burning resentment toward her captors, a powerful and indestructible interest in her sad history. It was an interest that would grow steadily for more than half a lifetime and culminate at last in that crowning work, the Recollections, the loveliest story ever told of that martyred girl”

If you have never read Twain’s great biography Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc then you give it a read. I personally consider it the best fictional account of Joan’s life and you can read the review I wrote about it at: Joan of Arc Book & Movie Reviews

The full book is available online at MaidOfHeaven.com at:

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
or go to the
Table of Contents for Joan of Arc by Mark Twain

Ben D. Kennedy & Joan of Arc

2010-11-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

People are constantly asking me how I become interested in Joan of Arc and about why have I devoted so much time and energy to writing a book about her and in creating my large website MaidOfHeaven.com devoted to teaching her true and full history. I provide some insight about my motivations on the home page where I wrote:

People have asked me why I chose to write about Saint Joan of Arc since it seems to some a departure from my normal American based writings. There is much that I can say about how the lessons learned from Saint Joan's life are very relevant to today's American citizen, but the real reason I wrote about her is ultimately much more personal. I find myself feeling similar to the way a great American writer of the nineteenth century felt. Mark Twain, after finishing his own biography about Saint Joan of Arc, said that:
"Possibly the book may not sell, but that is nothing-it was written for love"

You can also find some more details about me on the About the Author page at MaidOfHeaven.com and learn more about the creation process of the book on the page for Maid of Heaven: The Story of Saint Joan of Arc There is also a good Question and Annwer interview I did about both Joan of 'Arc and my book located at Online Interview about Joan of Arc

Deo Vindice,

Ben D. Kennedy

Joan’s Leap for Freedom

2010-10-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

During October of 1430, Saint Joan of Arc was held prisoner at the Castle of Beaurevoir by the Burgundians who had captured her. Joan had been waiting since the end of May to be ransomed back to her own forces which was the normal custom of the time for military prisoners of war. Unfortunately for Joan the English were not ever going to allow her to again lead armies against them and were negotiating with the Burgundian John of Luxemburg to have Joan sold to them. Joan knew that if she were delivered into English hands she was as good as dead because they had always yelled taunts at her that if they captured her they would burn her.

Joan apparently knew about the negotiations to sell her to the English because she became desperate enough to attempt an escape by jumping from the window of the tower where she was held which was at least sixty feet above the ground. Later at her trial Joan explained about her escape attempt: “I was sold to the English and I preferred to die rather than be in the hands of the English.” Somehow Joan managed to survive the sixty foot drop that would have killed most people but she was knocked unconscious and was later found by her captors ending her escape attempt.

The miraculous feat of Joan surviving such a long fall was recently driven home to me when I had my own fall off of a ladder from about nine feet above the ground. I was very fortunate that I hit on my side and did not break any bones but I was busted up pretty bad with damage to my hand, knees, and face. It is five months later and I am just now getting back to normal with my front teeth still being a little sore. When I think about Joan falling sixty feet with no damage to herself all I can say is amazing, which is the same exclamation that can be used for so much of Joan’s life: AMAZING!

Joan of Arc's Attempt to Liberate Paris

2010-09-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

This beautiful statue of Joan of Arc is located at Place des Pyramides in Paris. Unfortunately, Joan herself never saw more than the outside walls of Paris as the attempt she made to liberate the city on September 8, 1429, ended in failure. This was Joan’s first military defeat however the circumstances that led to the failure at Paris were clearly not her fault. Perhaps the biggest factor was the delay caused by the King in launching the assault on Paris after Charles VII had been crowned King on July 17, 1429. If Joan and her army had been allowed to immediately march upon Paris after the coronation they most likely would have gained an easy victory as there were only a small number of Burgundian troops guarding the city at that time. Instead of immediately marching to Paris, Charles hesitated and agreed upon several worthless treaties with Burgundy promising peace. The delay allowed the Burdundians the time they needed to strengthen their defenses and obtain re-inforcements from the English. Such delays in military history have usually proven to be extremely costly e.g., Napolean at Waterloo, Germans with Operation Barbarosa, Confederate Army at Gettysburg to name few.

As for Joan, she did everything she could to lead her army to victory at Paris despite the long odds created by the inexcusable actions of her King. She personally led the assault and kept her troops fighting hard all day in an effort to overcome the great walls of the city. Just after sunset Joan was wounded in her thigh by a bolt from a crossbow. Lying wounded she pleaded with her troops and commanders to continue the assault but they carried her to the rear against her wishes and the assault ended. Joan wanted to renew the assault the next day but orders from Charles VII arrived that no further attempt should be made to take Paris and the army was withdrawn several days afterwards. Joan once stated on the march to the coronation at Reims that she “feared only treachery.” It was ultimately the treachery she had feared and not the enemy that defeated Joan at Paris.

"By my staff, the place would have been taken."

Crowning Achievement of Joan of Arc

2010-07-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

“Huzzah after huzzah swept the army from van to rear; and as for Joan, there where she sat her horse gazing, clothed all in white armor, dreamy, beautiful, and in her face a deep, deep joy, a joy not of earth, oh, she was not flesh, she was spirit! Her sublime mission was closing – closing in flawless triumph.”

On July 17, 1429, Joan of Arc achieved what was her greatest accomplishment in liberating France when Charles VII was crowned King of France. Many people, including historians, have a hard time understanding the strategic brilliance of Joan in focusing upon getting Charles VII crowned in the traditional way so that the people of France would view him as their legitimate King. Joan understood that to achieve the ultimate victory over England it was necessary to unite France behind one King. Unfortunately for Joan the crowning of Charles VII also marked the pinnacle of her career. But she had changed the course of history and ultimately the man she conducted to throne of France would lead France to complete victory over the English.

Joan of Arc Vindicated on This Date

2010-07-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today is the 554th anniversary of Joan’s trial being overturned by the Church on July 7, 1456. After a lengthy process known as Joan’s trial of rehabilitation or nullification the Church overturned Joan's conviction and declared that she was a martyr who was wrongly executed by corrupt partisan clergy abusing a Church trial for secular purposes. In a ceremony taking place in the archbishop’s palace in Rouen, where twenty-five years before Joan had been declared a relapsed heretic and burned at the stake, in the presence of many dignitaries including Joan’s brother Jean d’Arc, a sentence was pronounced that vindicated Joan. To read the entire pronouncement please visit the blog Le Fleur de Lys too at http://lefleurdelystoo.blogspot.com/2010/07/sentence-of-rehabilitation.html

Deo Vindice!

Battle of Patay Anniversary

2010-06-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Patay, which was the most overwhelming victory that Joan of Arc achieved in her brilliant military career. After the battle of Orleans the English military leaders were concerned but still confident they could defeat the French when they engaged in combat. After the overwhelming victory by Joan of Arc at Patay the English leaders realized they were in serious trouble and that Joan was a real military commander to be feared.
To learn more about the battle of Patay try some of the resources listed at:
http://www.maidofheaven.com/joanofarc_long_biography.asp#loire

Joan of Arc’s Memorial Day

2010-05-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, May 30th marks the 579th anniversary of the death of Saint Joan of Arc It seems very appropriate to me that the anniversary of her death falls during Memorial Day Weekend this year as she was one of the greatest soldiers to ever live. As the famous Scottish author and historian Andrew Lang once wrote in comparing Joan to William Wallace “She was the bravest of the brave.”

The anniversary of the death of Saint Joan is celebrated every year by Catholics as her Feast Day which is a way to remember her life and service to God. At MaidOfHeaven.com there is a special page about Joan’s Feast Day containing descriptions of the heroic way that she met death by people who observed her execution in Rouen on May 30th 1431. You can visit this page at:
http://www.maidofheaven.com/joanofarc_feastday.asp

During this Memorial Day Weekend I hope everyone will have a chance to stop and remember Saint Joan of Arc as she was perhaps God’s greatest soldier of all.

Vive la Jehanne

Joan of Arc’s Longest Day

2010-05-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

“Rise tomorrow very early, earlier even than today, and do the best that you are able. It will be necessary to keep always near me, for tomorrow I shall have much to do, and greater need of you than I have ever had. Tomorrow the blood will flow from my body, above the breast.”

On May 7, 1429, Joan of Arc led her forces against the seemingly impregnable fortress Les Tourelles at Orleans. In the course of the fighting Joan was severely wounded when an arrow pierced her body just above her breast. Without Joan the soldiers and their commanders quickly lost their resolve fearing the worst without Joan and the assault on Les Tourelles appeared as if it would end in failure. Then the miraculous occurred when Joan re-appeared on the battlefield and seized her banner and lead her army forward to make another assault upon Les Tourelles. Jean d’Aulon, who was the head of Joan’s military household, later recalled the amazing turn of events: “. . . the lords and the captains who were with her, seeing that they could not well gain it this day, considering how late it was and also that they were all very tired and worn out, agreed among them to sound the retreat for the army. This was done, and, at the sound of the trumpet call, each one retreated for the day. During this retreat, [d'Aulon] who had been carrying the standard of the Pucelle and still holding it upright in front of the boulevard was fatigued and worn-out, and gave the standard to one named Le Basque, who was with the Lord of Villars. And because [d'Aulon] knew Le Basque to be a brave man, and he feared that harm would come from the retreat, and that the fortress and the Boulevard would remain in the hands of the enemy, he had the idea that if the standard were pushed ahead, due to the great affection in which it was held by the soldiers, they could by this means win the boulevard. And then [d'Aulon] asked Le Basque if he would follow him when he entered and went to the foot of the boulevard; he said and swore he would this. And then [d'Aulon] entered the ditch and went up to the base of the side of the Boulevard, covering himself with a shield for fear the stones, and left his companion on the other side, believing that he would follow him step-by-step. But when the Pucelle saw her standard in the hand of Le Basque, because she believed that she had lost it, as [d'Aulon] who had been carrying it had gone into the trench, she came and took the standard by the end in such a way that he had to let it go, crying, "Ha! My standard! My standard!" And she shook the standard in such a way that the one who is testifying imagined that others might think that she was making a sign to the others by doing this. And then he who was speaking cried: "Ha, Basque! Is this what you promised me?" And then Le Basque tugged at the standard that he dragged it from the hand of the Pucelle, and after this, he went to [d'Aulon] and brought the standard. Because of these things, all those in the army of the Pucelle gathered together and rallied again, assailed this boulevard in such great fierceness that, a short time afterwards, the boulevard and the fortress were taken by them, and abandoned by the enemy, and the French entered the city of Orleans by the bridge . . .”

Joan Begins Her Holy War

2010-04-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

On April 26, 1429, Joan of Arc led her army out of Blois to relieve the besieged city of Orleans. I wrote about this grand event in Maid of Heaven as follows:

“Once made chaste by your shining example,
the army marched toward Orleans as planned.
What a procession is must have been, with
singing priests leading the way for four thousand.
Gleaming in your armor while holding your
banner, you cheerfully exhorted your command.”

One of the priests no doubt leading the way was Joan’s personal chaplain Father Pasquerel who later described the departure in picturesque detail:

“The day we quitted Blois to go to Orleans, Joan had all the priests gathered around the banner and they lead the march with the soldiers following. We marched out of the city by the side of the Sologne assembled in that fashion while we sang Veni Creator Spiritus along with several other anthems.”

For Joan this was the day she had long been waiting for, to finally take command of her army and lead them forward to fulfill her God given mission. Veni Creator Spiritus indeed!

Saint Joan and Easter

2010-03-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

While there are no historic accounts remaining of Saint Joan of Arc specifically celebrating Easter it is easy to imagine her in worship as she was once described by one of her contemporaries:

“At the church one often saw her prostrated before the crucifix, sometimes with hands joined, face and eyes uplifted towards the Christ or the Holy Virgin.”

Perhaps it is because Easter is the preeminent event for a devout believer to celebrate and remember the ultimate victory of Christ that God chose this particular time to give Joan the ominous news that she would be captured soon. As Joan later related at her trial:

“During the week of last Easter, on the fosses of Melun, I was told by my Voices, that is to say, Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret, that I would be captured before St. John’s Day, and that it was necessary that this should happen, and that I must not be astonished and must accept it willingly, and that God would aid me.”

I am comforted by the thought that Joan received this news with the message of Easter burning in her heart and soul of ultimate victory in Christ remembering that HE IS RISEN!

Women’s History Month and Joan of Arc

2010-03-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

Joan of Arc is one of the greatest women to ever live and Women’s History Month is a wonderful opportunity to remember her and celebrate her contributions to the world. Joan continues to be an inspiration and role-model to women today because of the outstanding qualities she exhibited during her brief life. Famous 19th century Scottish author and historian Andrew Lang once described Joan as the “Flower of Chivalry” which is a title that probably best summarizes her character.

Women’s History Month was established thirty years ago to help people remember the great achievements and contributions that women have made throughout history. While there have been many great women over the years who have made significant contributions to the world there is none who stands out in quite the same way as Joan of Arc. Rising from total obscurity to lead her people to impossible victories over the most powerful army in the world at the time Joan achieved a fame that continues to amaze all who hear her story.

In a day and age when it seems that there are no true heroes anymore it is refreshing to remember Joan of Arc and again believe that heroes are possible. And let Joan be a reminder to everyone during Women’s History Month about all that women can achieve and that women can ultimately be the greatest heroes of all.

Here is page on famous women in history that is hosted by a site about the top universities online. Its a decent read and another way to celebrate Women’s history month.

The Mission Begins!

2010-02-23T01:25:00.000-08:00

On February 23, 1429, Joan-of-Arc finally received the blessing of Sir Robert de Baudricourt and departed Vaucouleurs to begin her mission to save France. Joan had requested help from de Baudricourt three times before he finally relented and agreed to send her to Charles VII in Chinon. It was during the evening of the 23rd that Joan assembled her small party of six that included her two knights, Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulengy, their two servants and two of the King’s messengers. The journey they were to begin was long and hazardous and required them to travel at night. Just before Joan departed a women asked Joan: “How can you make such a journey when on all sides are enemy soldiers?” Joan responded: “I do not fear the soldiers, for my road is made open to me; and if the soldiers come, I have God , my Lord, who will know how to clear the route that leads to messire the Dauphin. It was for this that I was born!”

Joan of Arc Relics Fake?

2010-01-21T10:31:00.000-08:00

A story about the remains of Joan of Arc being fake continues to circulate on the internet which has always seemed to me superfluous because the historical records are very clear that there were no remains left after she was executed. The Earl of Warwick, who was in charge of Joan while she was in jail and oversaw her execution, ordered that even the few ashes that were left after she was burned be placed in a sack and thrown into the Seine river to make absolutely sure that no “relics” could be claimed later.

And yet, here we are with all these stories saying that Joan’s relics are fake almost six hundred years later. Apparently a bottle containing some charred bones surfaced at a pharmacy in 1867 that was labeled "Remains found under the pyre of Joan of Arc, maiden of Orleans." Despite the historical record that should have alerted everyone in 1867 that these remains had to be fake they were instead preserved as authentic. At least now modern science has finally proven that they are indeed fake and nothing more than the bones of a cat and an Egyptian so that should finally put an end to this story, right. I wonder.

Joan of Arc’s Birthday Today

2010-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today is the 598th anniversary of Saint Joan of Arc’s birth in Domremy, France, on January 6, 1412. I already have a special page devoted to Joan’s birthday at MaidOfHeaven.com that I encourage everyone to visit as it contains descriptions of her birth and early years by people who personally knew her while she was alive. The page also explains the significance of her birth on the Epiphany which I believe was a gift to her from God because she is truly a “shining star that points the way to the Father of all light.”

Joan of Arc’s Birthday Page

I thought I would use the rest of this blog entry to share with everyone how I personally celebrate Joan’s birthday. I like to light a candle for her every year on both her birthday and her feast day in May and take some time to remember her for the great woman of God that she was. I also like to re-read the poem I wrote to her Maid of Heaven because it always reminds me again of the real Joan and brings me back closer to her. I hope everyone reading this today will find your own way to remember and honor Joan on this special day when she was born.

Happy birthday most beautiful Maid of Heaven!

JESUS MARIA

2009-12-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel – which means God with us.”

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

At this time of year when we celebrate the birth of Christ, I hope everyone will remember how much our beloved St. Joan of Arc loved Jesus and devoted her life to serving Him. Joan was so focused on Jesus that she had His name along with His mother’s emblazoned on the banner that she carried to lead her men into battle. She also closed most of her letters with Jesus Maria right after her own signature. Of course what is most telling to me about the focus of Joan’s life were her final words “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” as she departed this world to be with her Lord in His kingdom.

A very merry CHRISTmass to all.

Jesus Maria

Maid of Heaven Video Trailer about Joan of Arc

2009-12-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

The video trailer for the Maid of Heaven book is available at YouTube where it seems to have had quite an impact on people who posted comments like:

“This was really great! very touching indeed”

“I burst into tears after watching this”

“Really Awesome!!!”

If you have not seen it yet now is your chance. Just click the arrow in the middle of the video and it will start playing. When I created this video trailer I wanted it to be not only about St. Joan of Arc’s life but also about what I call her immortal light that still shines so brightly today and inspires so many people. I hope you enjoy the video.

Joan of Arc’s Last Great Victory

2009-11-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

"I am not alone! I have fifty thousand of my own company to fight with me!"

In the autumn of 1429, Charles VII seems to have been completely under the influence of his advisors who urged negotiation rather than battle. In light of this policy Joan of Arc was used in only a limited role when it suited the King and his advisors. For whatever reason they decided to send her to the strategically insignificant town of St. Pierre-le-Moutier where Joan once again showed her military brilliance by capturing the town despite having limited troops and supplies with which to overcome a stout defense.

During the battle when it appeared that all was lost and her men were retreating Joan again showed her courage and great leadership in completely turning the course of the battle. Joan’s aide-de-camp(my modern title) Jean d’Aulon describes the scene later at her trial of rehabilitation: “After the Maid and her soldiers had maintained the siege before the city for some time, an assault was ordered and made and all did their duty. But because of the great strength of the place, and also the great resistance made by those within, the French were forced to retreat. At this hour he who speaks, being wounded by an arrow in the heel, as such without crutches I could neither move nor sustain myself, saw that the Maid had remained behind with very few soldiers indeed. Fearing what might follow I mounted a horse, and hastily riding to her I asked her what she was doing there alone and why she had not retreated like the rest of the men. But the Maid, lifting the face guard of her helmet replied: ‘I am not alone! I have fifty thousand of my own company to fight with me and retreat I will not until I have taken this town.’ Whatever she might have said she had not with her more than four of five men, as I know for certain as do several others who were looking on, so I urged her to retreat like the rest. Then she told me to tell the men to bring faggots and brush to make a bridge across the moat which she yelled to the rest in a loud voice.”

Shortly thereafter the moat was filled and the town was taken by assault with little resistance to the amazement of d’Aulon. St. Joan of Arc once again prevailed against impossible odds however this was to be her last great victory. While she continued until her capture to have military successes she never again stormed and captured a city the way she did that day in early November of 1429 at Saint Pierre-le-Moutier.

Joan of Arc at Paris

2009-09-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

The statue above of St. Joan of Arc is located at Place des Pyramides in Paris. Unfortunately, Joan herself never entered Paris as the attempt she made to liberate the city on September 8, 1429, failed. This was Joan’s first military defeat however the circumstances that led to the failure at Paris were clearly not her fault. Probably the biggest factor was the delay in launching the assault on Paris after Charles VII was crowned King on July 17, 1429. If Joan and her army had been allowed to immediately march upon Paris after the coronation they most likely would have gained an easy victory as there were only a small number of Burgundian troops guarding the city at that time. Instead of immediately marching to Paris, Charles hesitated and entered into several worthless treaties with Burgundy. The delay allowed the Burdundians the time they needed to strengthen their defenses and obtain re-inforcements from the English. Such delays in military history have usually proven to be extremely costly e.g., Napolean at Waterloo, Germans with Operation Barbarosa, Confederate Army at Gettysburg to name few.

As for Joan, she did everything she could to achieve victory at Paris despite the long odds created by the inexcusable actions of her King. She personally led the assault and kept her troops fighting hard all day in an effort to overcome the walls of the city. Just after sunset Joan was wounded in the thigh by a bolt from a crossbow. Lying wounded she urged her troops and commanders to continue the assault but they carried her to the rear against her wishes and the assault died out. Joan wanted to renew the assault the next day but orders from Charles VII arrived that no further attempt should be made to take Paris and the army was withdrawn several days later. Joan once stated on the march to the coronation at Reims that she “feared only treachery.” It was ultimately treachery and not the enemy that defeated Joan at Paris.

"By my staff, the place would have been taken."

St. Therese and St. Joan of Arc

2009-08-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I set up a special page detailing the devotion of St. Therese of Lisieux to St. Joan of Arc The page contains poems about St. Joan as well as several pictures of St. Therese dressed as St. Joan for a play that she had written to honor St. Joan. You can see the page at:
St. Therese and St. Joan of Arc

After I shared the page with an online group about Joan of Arc where I am a member one of the ladies noticed something remarkable in one of the pictures of St. Therese. There are crosses in her eyes. We had quite a discussion at the group trying to explain the crosses and several theories were put forward which motivated me to do more research into the photographs. I found out that St. Therese’s sister Celine was an avid photographer who took many photos of St. Therese which are contained in a book titled The Photo Album of St. Therese of Lisieux
http://books.google.com/books?id=YNJNAAAACAAJ&dq=st+theresa+lisieux+photo+album&ei=_waDSsrIN6nEzgSXv-XdCg

I obtained a copy of this book from a local Catholic University and was most interested to see if the crosses were still visible in her eyes in the original photographs. The book states that the photographs are “un-retouched” and “reproduced directly from the plates developed in the late 19th century.” Remarkably, the crosses are still visible in the same picture although it is a little harder to see them. The other valuable information that the book contained was a map of the Carmelite convent and some descriptions of the different courtyards and the locations where the pictures were taken.

From my own limited investigation I have not been able to find any plausible earthly explanation for the crosses in St. Therese’s eyes. I figured that over the course of the past year someone more knowledgeable in photographic techniques of the 19th century would give me an explanation but so far that has not happened. I guess at this point I am wondering if this is indeed a real miraculous occurrence that no one previously noticed until the photograph was digitally prepared for the Internet. If so then it is time that everyone knows about it thus the purpose of this blog entry.

Maid of Heaven on Google Books

2009-08-03T14:33:00.000-07:00

Google finally set up Maid of Heaven on Google Books so that a limited number of pages can be previewed. If you would like to preview my book about Joan of Arc and read a few pages and see some of the historic pictures contained within just go to the link below. WARNING they did a lousy job copying the cover so refer to the image below for a more accurate representataion of what the cover actually looks like.

http://books.google.com/books?id=NQ_B0G8d2RMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=joan+of+arc&lr=&ei=31d3Sv3nIqO4ywSmiaTcAg

A Million Page Views!

2009-07-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

The big news this month at MaidOfHeaven.com was that the site achieved a milestone in going over One Million Page Views since going online in early 2007. When I first set up the site it was mainly designed to give information about my book Maid of Heaven but I soon realized that there was a great need on the Internet for detailed history about Joan of Arc. Except for a few exceptional sites the vast majority contained little more than encyclopedia type information about Joan and her life. I am thrilled that so many people have visited MaidOfHeaven.com and been able to really learn all about Joan and her amazing life. If you would like to read the press release articles about this major milestone visit the articles at:
http://pr-canada.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=109539&Itemid=36
http://www.prlog.org/10278612-joan-of-arc-website-celebrates-millionth-page-view.html
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/joan-of-arc-website-celebrates-its-millionth-page-view-107748.php
http://www.prurgent.com/2009-07-09/pressrelease45485.htm

Go Here for all Press Releases Related to Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc Books

2009-07-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a good book to read to learn more about Joan-of-Arc ? Of course I am partial to Maid of Heaven but there are many great books out there about Joan and quite a few are available online for free. One of the best is Mark Twain’s fictional account of Joan’s life which is available online at MaidOfHeaven.com at:
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc

For a list of all the online books available at MaidOfHeaven.com go to:
Joan of Arc Books Online

For a list of even more online books about Joan of Arc available at various places on the internet visit the page below and scroll down to the section titled:
Books Online

I hope these lists of free books will make it easier for everyone to learn all about the remarkable St. Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc's Crowning Achievement

2009-07-17T00:11:00.000-07:00

“Huzzah after huzzah swept the army from van to rear; and as for Joan, there where she sat her horse gazing, clothed all in white armor, dreamy, beautiful, and in her face a deep, deep joy, a joy not of earth, oh, she was not flesh, she was spirit! Her sublime mission was closing – closing in flawless triumph.”

On July 17, 1429, Joan of Arc achieved what was her greatest accomplishment in liberating France when Charles VII was crowned King of France. Many people, including historians, have a hard time understanding the strategic brilliance of Joan in focusing upon getting Charles VII crowned in the traditional way so that the people of France would view him as their legitimate King. Joan understood that to achieve ultimate victory over England it was necessary to unite France behind one King. Unfortunately for Joan the crowning of Charles VII also marked the pinnacle of her career. But she had changed the course of history and ultimately the man she conducted to throne of France would lead France to complete victory over the English.

Joan of Arc's Voices

2009-07-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of new pages have been added to MaidOfHeaven.com to honor the Saints that spoke to and guided St. Joan and that she referred to as her Voices. The Saints were St. Michael the Archangel, St Margaret of Antioch, and St. Catherine of Alexandria. Each page contains a historic painting and a brief description of the Saint as well as relevant quotes by St. Joan about her Voices. The pages are available at:
St. Michael
St. Margaret
St. Catherine

Joan of Arc Quote

2009-07-01T13:10:00.001-07:00

Joan-of-Arc
Anyone that knows me or has spent much time at MaidOfHeaven.com understands how much I revere the actual words that St. Joan of Arc spoke while she was alive. There is something almost magical about some of her quotes and I love to re-read them from time to time to feel closer to her. Unfortunately, not everyone respects St. Joan as I do as many of her famous quotes have been distorted and used improperly. One distorted quote that I see quite frequently on the internet is: "I am not afraid ... I was born to do this." The actual words that Joan spoke from which this quote was derived were: “I do not fear the soldiers, for my road is made open to me; and if the soldiers come, I have God, my Lord, who will know how to clear the route that leads to messire the Dauphin. It was for this that I was born!"

The big problem I have with the new version is the removal of what to Joan would have been the most important part: God. Saint Joan of Arc knew exactly what the source of her strength was and she always gave credit to God for everything that she accomplished in her life. I therefore think the proper derivation of Joan’s words in this instance would be:

"I am not afraid because God is with me. I was born for this!"

My new version is much truer to Joan’s original words and one that I hope will eventually supplant the false version as more people learn the truth about who St. Joan of Arc really was.

Vive la Jehanne!

Joan of Arc Cultural Depictions

2009-06-23T09:16:00.000-07:00

A new page titled Joan of Arc Cultural Depictions has been added at MaidOfHeaven.com. This page lists all of the most famous artistic creations that have been created to honor and represent St. Joan of Arc. The list contains entries in Literature, Theater, Paintings, Sculpture and Film. It is really amazing to see all the great artists that have attempted capture St. Joan and the wonderful art they have produced over the years. I know I enjoy browsing through them so I am sure this will become a very popular page that should help everyone better learn about St. Joan.

You can visit Joan of Arc Cultural Depictions at http://www.maidofheaven.com/joanofarc_cultural_depictions.asp

Anniversary of Battle of Patay

2009-06-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Patay, which was the most overwhelming victory that Joan of Arc achieved in her military career. After the battle of Orleans the English military leaders were concerned but still confident they could defeat the French when they engaged in combat. After the overwhelming victory by Joan of Arc at Patay the English leaders realized they were in serious trouble and that Joan was a real military commander to be feared.
To learn more about the battle of Patay try some of the resources listed at:
http://www.maidofheaven.com/joanofarc_long_biography.asp#loire

Celebrate Joan of Arc's Feast Day Today

2009-05-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

Today, May 30th, is St. Joan of Arc's Feast Day which is an official day of remembrance and celebration for Roman Catholics. You don’t have to be Catholic, however, to also celebrate the life of Saint Joan on this special day every year. Joan’s Feast Day is also the anniversary of her death when she was burned at the stake by the English on May 30, 1431. In order to remember Saint Joan and celebrate her amazing life MaidOfHeaven.com maintains a special page about her Feast Day at:
Joan of Arc Feast Day
This year I added some statements by Church officials that were present when she died. I tried to pick those that really reflected Joan’s great faith and how well she showed her faith as she died. I was most touched by the statement of the court bailiff, Jean Massieu, that "even several of the English, were moved by this to great tears and weeping, and indeed several of these same English, recognized God's hand and made professions of faith when they saw her make so remarkable an end."
Even after all my study and all I know about St. Joan she still continues to amaze me.

Jehanne d'Arc
Born January 6, 1412
Died May 30, 1431

Anniversary of Joan of Arc's Capture Today

2009-05-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

The anniversary of Joan’s capture on May 23, 1430, is not one I really like to remember but I thought I would use it this year as an opportunity to clear up a big misconception that exists about her capture. It seems that most movies and even many books blame her capture upon the closing of the gates of the city of Compiègne however it was actually the raising of the drawbridge over the river Oise that caused Joan to be cut off from Compiègne and safety. As Joan herself later testified at her trial: “And the river lay between Compiègne and the place where I was taken. And there was only between the place where I was taken and Compiègne just the river, the boulevard, and the moat of the said boulevard.”

There are some good pictures of Compiègne and the river Oise and drawings of where Joan was captured online at: http://www.stjoan-center.com/Album/part52.html

Joan of Arc's Canonization Anniversary Today

2009-05-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

Today is the anniversary of Joan of Arc's canonization ceremony at the Vatican in 1920 that officially made her a Saint of the Roman Catholic Church. There is a page at MaidOfHeaven.com about the ceremony that contains the official pronouncement of canonization. The pronouncement is interesting to read and greatly compliments St. Joan. You can read it by going to Joan of Arc's Canonization

Joan of Arc Liberates Orleans

2009-05-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

"Trust in God. God will aid the city of Orleans and expel the enemy."

On May 7, 1429, Joan of Arc lead her forces against the strongest fort held by the English at Orleans called Les Tourelles. Joan had been wounded in the initial attacks upon the fort and had to be removed to the rear to have her wound treated. Without Joan leading the army the French captains lost confidence and decided to call off the attack on the fort as daylight dwindled. Joan made a miraculous recovery and regaining her white banner yelled for her men to resume the attack. The army seeing her waving her banner rallied and charged en masse upon the wall of the Tourelles. The ferocity of the attack and the fear of the English in seeing Joan again coming against them led to the fort being overrun in a matter of minutes. All this occurred 580 years ago today. The liberation of Orleans was completed the next day as the English withdrew all of their forces from Orleans. The liberation is still celebrated in Orleans every May 8th as shown on the video below:

Joan of Arc and the Scots

2009-05-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted by David Kerr, a reporter with the BBC, about Joan of Arc and her connection with soldiers from Scotland who fought against the English alongside the French in her army. David wrote an excellent article for the Scottish Catholic Observer that details the proud history of the Scots who helped Joan of Arc defeat the English. To read this article go to:
Joan of Arc And The Scots Connection

Joan of Arc Enters Orleans on this Day in 1429

2009-04-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 580th anniversary of when Joan of Arc entered Orleans to relieve the city. If you would like to hear the music played by Scottish soldiers when she arrived visit http://www.maidofheaven.com/joanofarc_scots.asp

Press Release About The Anniversary of Joan of Arc's Beatification

2009-04-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

You can see one of the press releases that I sent out to publicize the anniversary of Joan's Beatification at:
http://www.prlog.org/10209540-100th-anniversary-of-joan-of-arcs-beatification-celebrated-at-maidofheavencom.html

or
http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/48959/

Please send it to anyone you know in the media so that this special anniversary will get the media attention it deserves.

To see a list of all the press releases by MaidOfHeaven.com visit:
Joan of Arc Press Releases

100th Anniversary of Joan of Arc’s Beatification

2009-03-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

This April marks the 100th anniversary of Saint Joan of Arc’s Beatification by the Roman Catholic Church. The official pronouncement was issued on April 11, 1909, and a ceremony attended by thousands of people was held at the Vatican on April 18, 1909. I set up a special page at MaidOfHeaven.com to celebrate that contains a picture of the ceremony, the translation of the official pronouncement and a newspaper article describing the ceremony. Just visit Joan of Arc’s Beatification

Joan of Arc for Women's History Month

2009-03-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

March is Women’s History Month but I have seen little about Joan of Arc anywhere. Is there a better female role model than Joan of Arc? She was strong and she was pure which are traits that seem rare for women in today’s world. I would think that Christian women in particular would be drawn to Joan. Perhaps the lack of attention results from the same reason that motivated to me to write about her and create my website. The real Joan is little known in today’s world which is really sad considering all of the great resources available. Before March and Women’s History Month is over, let’s all try to better share Joan of Arc’s amazing history with as many women as possible.

2009-03-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

I set up this blog as another way to provide information relating to Saint Joan of Arc and to my large website dedicated to her at http://www.maidofheaven.com/.

Whenever there are significant changes and additions to my site I will try to post an update here.