St. Joan of Arc

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Joan of arc was born in Domremy, France in 1412. She was the youngest of five children in her family. She had her first vision when she was fifteen years old. In this vision, Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret commanded her to save France. When she tried to do something about this, no one believed her because she was a woman. She predicted certain events would happen, and no one believed her, but everything she predicted came true.

Joan was always very absorbed in the church, and she loved the poor very tenderly. She was always very mature for her age, even as a child. Her motivation to change the world was from the voices that she heard over and over in her head. She never told anyone about the voices, she told everyone that the people were coming to her and she saw them, just as she was seeing them.

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The results of her efforts to help France were successful. She became a commander in the French Army, defying all doubts in her as a woman. Her first victory as commander was a major turning point in the Hundred Years' War. France was, very soon after this, victorious in this war.

Once returning from her military occupations, Joan was still speaking of the voices she was hearing. The judges ruled that these were false and diabolical, and that she was to be burned if she did not stop. She refused to, and therefore the judges dept threatening her with different forms of torture. Joan stood firm in her beliefs. She was charged with heresy. Before she was killed, in 1431, at the stake she had a very peaceful attitude, which moved her enemies to tears. As she was dying, she was still professing that everything she had was from God.

Saint Joan of Arc's feast day is May 30. She is the patron Saint of France because she led the armies of France to victory. She is also the patron of soldiers. She was a martyr, which means that she died for her faith. She teaches us that with God, anything is possible. Also Joan teaches us that soldiers can serve as instruments of God's plan. I believe that she was a very strong and powerful woman, and is someone that everyone can look to be like.