During the 100 Years War, the uncrowned King Charles VII sent Joan to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief mission. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted only nine days later. Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII’s coronation at Reims. This long-awaited event boosted French morale and paved the way for the final French victory. She was eventually captured and put to death by the English.
In 1456, an inquisitorial court authorized by Pope Callixtus III examined the trial, debunked the charges against Saint Joan of Arc that caused her to be put to death, pronounced her innocent, and declared her a martyr. In the 16th century she became a symbol of the Catholic League, and in 1803 she was declared a national symbol of France by the decision of Napoleon Bonaparte. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.1
Click here for our selection of items honoring the heroic Saint Joan of Arc on her Feast Day!
Patron Saint of France; martyrs; captives; military personnel; people ridiculed for their piety; prisoners; soldiers,
