Joan of Arc
French folk heroine (1412–1431), military leader who crowned Charles VII and Roman Catholic saint, canonized 500 years after her death
Feast: 30 May (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Jeanne d'Arc was born at Domrémy in north-eastern France on 6 January 1412. A girl who helped at home and in the fields and barely knew her prayers, at thirteen she heard 'voices' from heaven and felt charged with a great mission: to free France.
Orléans was freed, and on 17 July 1429 Charles VII was crowned at Reims with Joan and her standard beside him. Later she was handed over to her enemies, condemned in an unjust trial and burned at the stake in 1431. The Church solemnly rehabilitated her in 1456.
The miracles
Miracles through her intercession were recognised as confirming her innocence, faith, holiness and obedience to God's will. The biography does not describe them.
Why that counted as sanctity
A peasant girl who obeyed God's call at every cost, even an unjust death.
Connected on this site
- Hélie de Bourdeilles Saint“He wrote in defence of St Joan of Arc.” — this site's research
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - biography: Giovanna d'Arco
- Wikidata Q7226 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Joan of Arc (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.