Feast: May 30
Born: 1412
Died: 30 May 1431
Beatified: 18 April 1909 By Pope Pius X
Canonized: 16 May 1920 by Pope Benedict XV
Today May 30th is the feast of Saint Jeanne D’arc.
Commemoration of SAINT JOAN OF ARC
St. Joan of Arc is the patroness of soldiers and of France. On January 6, 1412, Joan of Arc was born to pious parents of the French peasant class, at the obscure village of Domremy, near the province of Lorraine. At a very early age, she heard voices: those of St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret.
At first the messages were personal and general. Then at last came the crowning order. In May, 1428, her voices “of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret” told Joan to go to the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. For at that time the English king was after the throne of France, and the Duke of Burgundy, the chief rival of the French king, was siding with him and gobbling up evermore French territory.
After overcoming opposition from churchmen and courtiers, the seventeen year old girl was given a small army with which she raised the seige of Orleans on May 8, 1429. She then enjoyed a series of spectacular military successes, during which the King was able to enter Rheims and be crowned with her at his side.
In May 1430, as she was attempting to relieve Compiegne, she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English when Charles and the French did nothing to save her. After months of imprisonment, she was tried at Rouen by a tribunal presided over by the infamous Peter Cauchon, Bishop of Beauvais, who hoped that the English would help him to become archbishop.
Through her unfamiliarity with the technicalities of theology, Joan was trapped into making a few damaging statements. When she refused to retract the assertion that it was the saints of God who had commanded her to do what she had done, she was condemned to death as a heretic, sorceress, and adulteress, and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. She was nineteen years old. Some thirty years later, she was exonerated of all guilt and she was ultimately canonized in 1920, making official what the people had known for centuries. Her feast day is May 30.
Joan was canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.
Collect for the feast of Saint Jeanne D’arc
O God, you have chosen Saint Joan of Arc to defend her country against the invading enemy. Through her intercession, grant that we may work for justice and live in peace. We pray through Jesus Christ, your son, living and reigning with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Postcommunion for the feast of Saint Jeanne D’arc
You have strengthened us, O Lord, with bread from heaven from which Saint Joan of Arc so frequently found light and comfort. May this heavenly nourishment sustain us in the service of our brothers and sisters. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Poem of Saint Jeanne D’arc written by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Jeanne, Seigneur, est ton oeuvre splendide.
Un coeur de feu, une âme de guerrier,
Tu les donnas à la vierge timide,
La couronnant de lis et de laurier.
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Notre espérance Repose en vous,
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Priez, priez pour nous !
Jeanne entendit, dans son humble prairie,
Des voix du ciel l’appeler aux combats ;
Elle partit pour sauver la patrie
La douce Enfant à l’armée commanda.
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Notre espérance Repose en vous,
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Priez, priez pour nous !
Des fiers guerriers, Jeanne gagna les âmes
L’éclat divin de cet ange des cieux,
Son pur regard, ses paroles de flammes,
Surent courber les fronts audacieux
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Notre espérance Repose en vous,
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Priez, priez pour nous !
Jeanne c’est toi notre unique espérance;
Du haut des Cieux, daigne entendre nos voix;
Descends vers nous, Viens convertir la France,
Viens la sauver une seconde fois !
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Notre espérance Repose en vous,
Sainte Jeanne de France,
Priez, priez pour nous !
Rough english translation
Jeanne, Lord, is your splendid work, A heart of fire, a warrior’s soul, You gave to the timid virgin, Crowning her with lilies and laurels.
Saint Joan of France, Our hope resides in you, Saint Joan of France, Pray, pray for us!
Jeanne heard, in her humble prairie, voices of heaven calling her to battle; She set out to save her country, The sweet Child commanded an army.
Saint Joan of France, Our hope resides in you, Saint Joan of France, Pray, pray for us!
Of the proud warriors, Jeanne won the souls, The divine splendor of this angel in heaven, Her pure gaze, her words of flames, Were able to make bold brows give way.
Saint Joan of France, Our hope resides in you, Saint Joan of France, Pray, pray for us!
Jeanne, you are our only hope; From the heights of Heaven, deign to hear our voices; Descend towards us, Come and convert France, Come and save her once again!
Saint Joan of France, Our hope resides in you, Saint Joan of France, Pray, pray for us!
Credit to Ex Cathedra on Youtube for most of the translation, did some of it myself.
Saint Jeanne D’arc pray for us.
Sancta Ioanna de Arc, ora pro nobis.
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One response to “St Jeanne d’arc”
I’ll go in depth in another post.