Christian Saints Podcast

Saint Joan of Arc

May 29, 2021 Darren C. Ong Season 1 Episode 32
Christian Saints Podcast
Saint Joan of Arc
Show Notes Transcript

Saint Joan of Arc, the "Maid of Orleans" was a French hero of the Hundred Years' war. She emerged in the 15th century at a time when the war was going badly for the French, and the English controlled large portions of France. Saint Joan was a teenage peasant girl who, starting at age 13, heard visions from God and the saints telling her to liberate France from the invading English, and uphold King Charles VII's claim on the throne. She convinced King Charles to give her soldiers to lift the siege of Orleans, and there this teenage peasant girl won a miraculous victory, turning the tide of the Hundred Years' war. Later in the war, she was captured by the English, convicted in a sham trial and executed. Nevertheless, as she prophesied, the English would be cast out of France soon after. 


The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion with oversight from Fr Symeon Kees

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://twitter.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2023

 God is glorious in his saints! 
 
 Welcome to the Christian Saints Podcast. My name is dr Darren Ong, recording from Sepang in Malaysia. In this podcast, we explore the lives of the Christian saints, from the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Today, we commemorate Saint Joan of Arc, the maid of Orleans.


 Saint Joan of Arc was a hero of the 100 years war, between France and England. This was a long series of wars where the English kings pursued their claim on the crown of France. Saint Joan of Arc emerged during a low point of the war for the French. The English and their ally, the Duchy of Burgundy controlled almost all of Northern france, and large parts of the southwest, including major French cities like Paris, Bourdeaux, Reims and Rouen. The Duchy of Burgundy’s control of Reims was particularly important, since this was the traditional site where French kings were crowned. The two claimants to the throne of France were England’s King Henry the VI of the house of Lancaster, and the french King Charles the VII of the house of Valois.
 

Joan of Arc was born in 1412 in Domremy, in the northeastern part of France, to the farmer Jacques d’Arc and his wife Isabelle Romee. She started hearing visions from God at the age of 13 and she would hear visions from God and the saints continually throughout her life– here is her recounting of her visions, from her testimony in her trial:
 
+++++
 
 Orleans was a vitally important city in the 100 years war. It was the northernmost city that was loyal to King Charles of France, an important bulwark against the English. Orleans was on the Loire river, controlling accesss to central France. If Orleans were to fall, England would be able to conquer all of France soon after. The English besieged Orleans in October of 1428, and by all accounts the siege was a disaster for the French. The English were confident enough of victory that they had even rejected a surrender offer from the city because they thought the terms not favourable enough. They would come to regret that decision. 
 
 Joan of Arc went to meet with Robert de Baudricourt, French Army captain in Vaucoleurs, near her hometown. She told him of her visions, and asked Robert to bring her to meet King Charles. Robert de Baudricourt was naturally skeptical, and rebuffed her, even making fun of her. But Joan persisted, and eventually the captain relented, and took her to meet the king. She told King Charles of her visions, and asked him to give her as many fighting men as he could spare, and she would lift the siege of Orleans, as the voices of God had told her would happen.
 
 The king, together with his priests and bishops first interviewed her about her visions, her faith, and military strategy and she impressed them with her answers, convincing them all that her Christian faith was sincere and her visions from God genuine. Helping Joan’s cause were vague prophecies around that time that an armoured maiden would rescue France.
 
 King Charles first sent Joan of Arc to Blois, where she joined with a group of soldiers tasked with delivering supplies to Orleans. From there, Saint Joan of Arc sent this defiant letter to the English:


 KING OF ENGLAND and you, the Duke of Bedford, who declare you are the Regent of the realm

of France; and you, William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, and you Sir John Talbot, and you Thomas

Lord Scales, who say you are the Lieutenant of this Bedford, render an account to the King of

Heaven! Give up to the Maid, who is sent by God, the King of Heaven, the keys of the cities you

have seized and violated in France. She has come here, by God's order, to reinstate the royal line [of

Charles VII]. She is fully prepared to offer [terms of] peace, if you are willing to give satisfaction,

provided you agree to vacate France, settle the claims for the damage you have done, and repay the

sums of money you have taken during all the years you have occupied this realm.

To you, archers, fellow soldiers, men of gentle birth, and all others who are in front of the

city of Orleans, [I say] by God's order, GO HOME TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY. Unless you do,

be prepared for further orders from the Maid who in a short time is going into action [against you].

You will suffer very heavy damage.

KING OF ENGLAND, I am a military commander and unless you accept my counsel, this

I assure you: in whatever region of France I find your troops I will give battle and chase them and

make them flee this country whether they want to or not. If they do not obey, I will have them all

slain. I have been sent here by command of God, the King of Heaven, to combat them and boot them

entirely out of France. If they obey willingly, I will show them mercy. And for you, do not make

up your mind to remain here, for God, the King of Heaven and Son of the Virgin Mary, has given

you no authority over this kingdom of France. Charles [VII], the RIGHTFUL HEIR, will have this

authority. God, the King of Heaven, wills it! The Maid has revealed to him that before long he Will take possession of Paris in good and glorious company. If you are reluctant to believe this

communication [written] by the command of God and the order of the Maid, I caution you: in

whatever place we encounter you, we will give battle and strike you down. There we will make a

boisterous outcry (hayhay), the like of which has not been heard in France for a thousand years.

Have a firm faith [in what I say]. The King of Heaven will give such power to the Maid that neither

you nor your arnues will know how to injure her or the troops she commands. When it comes to

might, we will see who has the better right!

Duke of Bedford, you who now carry on the siege before Orleans, the Maid implores you

not to force her to destroy you. If you do give satisfaction to her, you may yet live to see the French

perform the most brilliant exploit ever turned to the account of Christianity.

If you wish to restore peace, I pray you to make reply in the city of Orleans which I hope

to reach in a short time. If you do not act in this wise, you will ever bethink you of your heavy loss

[of soldiers in battle].
 

The mission to deliver the much-needed supplies to Orleans was a success. The small group of French soldiers were able to hold off the English army long enough to get the provisions to the city. There was an account of a miracle here by St Joan. She reversed the direction of the wind, which was heading the wrong direction, allowing the boats laden with supplies to reach Orleans safely. Joan’s presence in the besieged city of Orleans lifted morale, as she paraded through the city giving out food. 
 
 Under the leadership of Joan and John of Dunois, the commander of Orleans, and with the reinforcements from Blois the French were able in quick succession to capture English forts in Saint-Loup , Saint Jean le Blanc and Saint Augustins. Joan of Arc. There was one last English fort in the south bank of the Loire, the well-defended Tourelles. The French commanders were reluctant to attempt the assault of the fort, but Joan of Arc, with the support of the people of Orleans, overruled them. 
 

The French proceeded to attack Tourelles. Here is an account of the battle, from an early biography of the saint:
 
 Soldiers, the time has come to storm the enemy. Today I give you my pledge that the English will

be conquered and chased out of the Kingdom of France.

Joan’s pledge animated the French with greater courage. Under its incentive they stormed the

bastile which, I assure you, was defended by the enemy with determination. Undaunted by this

resistance the French, cheered on by the words of the Maid, who was always in the forefront of the

attack, did not decrease their efforts.

Joan, wounded in the leg (some say in the shoulder) by an arrow from a crossbow, without

seeming to pay any attention to it, did not retire from the fight but gave an example of courage to her

troops, who following her example, leaped after her into the moat of the bastile. Aided by ladders

which had been placed to project above the walls they entered within. This is how they took The

Tourelles by assault!

From four to five hundred English were killed there, among whom death took three of their

captains, Lord William Moleyns, Lord Richard Poynings, and Captain William Glasdale, officers

who were in command of the siege on the Sologne side. All the others were captured. The English

across the river on the other side [in Beauce] were witnesses of the assault and the capture of those

taken but were powerless to come to their relief.

With this task accomplished the Maid and her company crossed over the bridge and

reentered the city exactly as she had promised on her departure the day before. To celebrate the

victory the inhabitants of Orleans started to sing the Te Deum Laudamus. The church bells in the

whole city rang out. All night long the citizens in high glee made merry noise. Next day in the early

morning the enemy, understanding the menace that beset them, withdrew from the other forts and

retreated in great haste
 
 
 With this, the English no longer had any presence in the south bank of the Loire, which meant that the city of Orleans could be resupplied without trouble, thus ending the siege.
 
 The miraculous victory at Orleans cemented Joan of Arc’s legend. Inspired by her victory, many Frenchmen enlisted in the army, to participate in a counterattack against the English and their allies, Burgundy. Joan was a charismatic speaker and an able commander. She also insisted on upright moral conduct on the part of her soldiers. She exhorted the soldiers to become faithful in making confession and attending mass, she drove prostitutes from camp brandishing her sword, and she fiercely scolded both common soldiers and great nobles for their foul language.
 
 Saint Joan convinced King Charles to approve an ambitious campaign to capture Reims, deep in enemy territory. Reim was the traditional site where French kings were crowned, so capturing the city would cement King Charles’ claim to the throne of France.
 
 In this campaign, many towns capitulated with minimal resistance, or no resistance at all. Reims itself simply opened their gates to the approaching French army, and King Charles had his crowning ceremony the very next day.
 
 Next, the French attempted to take Paris. Saint Joan of Arc urged that an assault on the city would begin with haste, but the royal court, and in particular the French Grand Chamberlain, Georges de la Trémoille, instead wanted to entertain an offer of truce negotiations with the Duke of Burgundy. Alas, this offer by a Duke was merely a deception, to give his English allies time to reinforce the city of Paris. When the French finally got around to attacking Paris, the English were able to hold the city. Saint Joan was wounded in this battle, taking a crossbow bolt to the thigh.
 
After the failed assault on Paris, the English and French had a temporary ceasefire. Eventually hostilities began again when the English and Burgundians besieged Compiegne. Saint Joan led an army to attack the Burgundians, but was ambushed and captured. The English moved Joan to the northern city of Rouen, their base of operations in France. The French attempted several campaigns towards Rouen to rescue Joan, but all were beaten back.
 
The Engish subjected Joan to a sham trial, and of all things being convicted of “cross-dressing”, since she was a woman who regularly wore soldier’s armour. The English interrogators attempted to trick her into saying something blasphemous, so they could accuse her of being a heretic or a witch, but she answered all her questions with wisdom and understanding beyond her years. In one famous exchange, she was Asked if she knew whether she were in the grace of God, She answered: If I am not, may God put me there; if I am, may He keep me there
 
She was sentenced to death by being burned at the stake at the age of 19. Here is an account of her execution in May 30 1431, in Divina Dispontente, which was the papal Bull that would canonize her as a saint:



 On May 29 the judges met, and the death of the Maid was decreed, on the accusation of being a repeat offender. The day after, early in the morning, two priests were sent by the Bishop to Joan in jail to prepare her for death. The poor girl, hearing that she was condemned to be burned, started crying for men’s malice, capable of burning her virginal body. But immediately she lifted up her anguished soul putting her every hope and trust in God. After receiving the Sacrament of Penance, she herself asked for the Holy Eucharist, then surrounded by about 800 English soldiers, she was taken to the square of the old market; on a sheet of paper affixed above her head was written: “Heretic, Witch, Apostate, Recidivist.” Along the way, while pouring devout tears, she kept recommending her soul to God and to the Saints with so much devotion that moved to tears all who heard her.





In the square were three platforms, two for the judges and the prelates, and a third one with the wood for burning Joan. When arrived in the square, dressed with a long gown, as she had asked, in front of a large multitude of people, she listened to the speech of Master Nicolò Midi, who, after he finished, told the Maid: “Go in peace, the Church delivers you now into secular hands.” Some of the council members rightly asked for the formula of the abjuration to be read again, to no avail; rather, the sentence of death was immediately delivered without the opinion of the secular judge, so, taken with great violence by the armed English, she was lead to the execution. The Maid, on her knees, renewed prayers to God; she asked forgiveness to all, and asked the priests to celebrate each of them a Mass for her soul. She asked for a little cross which an Englishman on the site made out of two wood-sticks; after kissing it with great devotion, Joan placed it on her breast. But she asked also for a cross from the Church, and she got it. Then, after greeting farewell to all the people there, she was pressed by the executioner to climb the wooden pile, in the shape of an ambone, and the executioner started the fire from underneath.





In this supreme hour, the Maid well understood the prediction of her liberation, which she had heard from celestial voices: “Bear willingly everything: do not worry and do not be scared for your martyrdom: you will enter the realm of Paradise.” She clearly understood that death had been given to her because of her mission and, recommending herself with all her strength not only to the most holy Virgin Mary, but also to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed Catherine and all the Saints, up to the last instant of her life she declared that all she did was according to the will of God. She begged the father confessor to lift the cross of the Lord, so she could see it; which he did; and Joan, hugging it while pouring abundant tears, with great devotion kissed it until, continuously invoking in the midst of the flames the Most Holy Name of Jesus, she expired.





The holy death of the Maid raised the admiration of all, to the point that also her enemies got very scared, and the executioner himself declared that Joan had been condemned to death unjustly and that he feared very much for himself, because he had burned a holy woman. And soon prodigies happened. In fact many in the crowd saw the name of Jesus written within the flames that burned Joan, and an Englishman, very much hostile to the Maid, who had said he wished to be the one to light the fire, watching her die, remained in awe and immobile, revealing afterwards to have seen a dove flying through the flames. Moreover, the heart of the Maid remained intact and bleeding, which was confirmed by the executioner himself. But the English wanted her heart to be thrown in the river Seine, together with Joan’s ashes, not to have people claim her relics. Finally God, vindicator of innocence and justice, inflicted many punishments on the wicked ones; in fact, all who were responsible for the martyrdom of Joan died a horrible death; moreover, as the Maid had predicted, the English were thrown out of the city of Paris, then out from Normandy, from Aquitania, and from the whole of France.
 
 The English would lose the 100-years-war. In 19 October 1453, merely 22 years after Saint Joan of Arc’s execution, Bordeaux, the last city in France held by the English surrendered. Joan of Arc’s surviving family, her mother Isabelle Romee and her brothers requested a retrial, a request that was also supported by King Charles. Pope Callixtus III approved of the retrial, and on 7 July 1456 the court declared her innocent and annulled her sentence. The Roman Catholic church canonized her as a saint on 19 May 1920. Oddly enough, the Church of England also considers her a saint. Her feast day is on May 30, the day of her execution.


Thanks for listening to this episode of the Christian saints podcast. Look for the Christian Saints podcast page on Facebook or Instagram, or look for us on Twitter at podcast_saints. All music in this episode was composed by my good friend, James John Marks of Generative sounds. Please check out his music at https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com/
 
We will end this episode with a poem about Saint Joan of Arc, “Give Joan a sword”. This poem was written by Sister Mary Therese, in response to her brother's death during the World War II naval battle at Corregidor, in a time when France was yet again occupied by a foreign power – Hitler’s Germany.

GIVE JOAN A SWORD

The night is down on Domremy, 
 Dark wings have circled every tree, 
 Shut out the stars and steeped the sky, 
 In anguish lifted like a cry. 

Shaking the young stars from her gown, 
 Pushing the moon back, Joan peers down, 
 On lands by terror twisted bare, 
 That shakes with battle everywhere. 

A blight is on the world again; 
 A blight is on the souls of man; 
 And dark is death and dark is birth, 
 As sorrow runs along the earth. 

How can she keep her soul in calm, 
 When towers of Reims and Notre Dame, 
 Send up their cry of muted bells, 
 That tear her breast with moans and knells? 

How must her hands have ached to hold, 
 Her shining sword when pain patrolled, 
 The glory-ridden crimson shore, 
 Of Batan and Corregidor. 

How must her lips have burned to cry, 
 A challenge to the southern sky, 
 For heroes who would never see, 
 The sunset stain the Coral Sea. 

Young Joan is restless in the sky; 
 Young Joan is burning to defy, 
 The sign that sickens men with pride, 
 Back to the wars young Joan would ride!  

To rout out the bitter pagan horde, 
 O God of peace, give Joan a sword! 
 And in this moment, send her down, 
 To Domremy, to every town!