602 YEARS 1412 - 2014
Joan of Arc's birth was not officially recorded in the small town where she was born however the people of her town remembered that she was born on Epiphany, or Twelfth-night, which is January 6. The Epiphany celebrates the revelation of God in human form in the person of Jesus Christ and part of the celebration commemorates the arrival of the three "Wise Men" who were led to the baby Jesus by a star in the sky above Bethlehem. It is very significant that Saint Joan was born on Epiphany because she not only led her people to freedom in this world but she ultimately led them, and generations since, to the true freedom that is only found through Jesus Christ.
Saint Joan of Arc is truly a "brilliantly shining light" of the Kingdom of Heaven and will forever point the way to God. (Read Ben D. Kennedy's paper "Saint Joan of Arc: A Brilliantly Shining Light of God" written to celebrate Joan's 600th birthday)
Saint Joan of Arc is truly a "brilliantly shining light" of the Kingdom of Heaven and will forever point the way to God. (Read Ben D. Kennedy's paper "Saint Joan of Arc: A Brilliantly Shining Light of God" written to celebrate Joan's 600th birthday)
Born January 6, 1412
Died May 30, 1431
"It was during the night of the Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6, Twelfth Night), when men are wont most joyfully to recall the acts of Christ that she first saw the light in this mortal life. And, wonderful to relate, the poor inhabitants of the place were seized with an inconceivable joy. And though ignorant of the birth of the Maid, they rushed hither and thither in search of what might be the new event. Their hearts as one were conscious of a new gladness." --Lord Perceval de Boulainvilliers, writing to the Duke of Milan in 1429 about Joan's birth.
Saint Joan was born in Domremy, a little village in a part of Eastern France known as Lorraine. At her trial of rehabilitation several of the people from Domremy remembered her birth and childhood in the following ways:
"From my childhood I knew Joan the Maid who was born at Domremy to Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle, husband and wife, honest and decent farmers and true Catholics of good repute. I know this because I was often in company with Joan, and being her friend I went to her father's house. . . .Joan was a good, simple and sweet-natured girl, she went often and of her own will to church and the sacred places and often she was ashamed because of people remarking how she went so devoutly to church. I have heard the priest who was there in her time say that she often came to confession. Joan busied herself like any other girl; she did the housework and spun and sometimes, I have seen her, she kept her father's flocks." Hauviette - childhood friend of Joan
"Jeannette, whom this concerns, was born at Domremy and baptized at the Church of St. Remy, a parish of that place. Her father was called Jacques d'Arc and her mother Isabelle, farmers, during their lifetime, at Domremy. From what I saw and knew they were faithful Catholics and hard workers, of good repute and decent conversation, according to their condition; for several times I spoke with them. I was myself one of Jeanne's godfathers. . . .Jeannette in earliest youth, was well and properly brought up in the faith and good conduct and so much so that nearly all the inhabitants of Domremy loved her. . . ." Jean Morea - farmer who knew Joan as a child
"Joan was of my wife Jeanne's kinsfolk. I knew Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle well, the parents of Joan the Maid, good and true Catholics, and of good repute, and I believe that Joan was born in the town of Domremy and that she was baptized at the font of St. Remy in that town. Joan was of good behavior, devout, patient, going readily to church, willingly to confession, and gave alms to the poor when she could, as I witnessed, both in the town of Domremy and at Burey, at my house, where Joan resided during a period of six weeks. Willingly did she work, spinning, ploughing, keeping the cattle, and did other work suitable for women." Durand Laxart - Joan's uncle
"Joan the Maid, in the time of her youth until she left her father's house, was a good, chaste and simple girl, modest in manner, taking not the name of God nor of His saints in vain, fearing God. She went frequently to church and frequently confessed. The cause of my knowing this is that I was, in those days, churchwarden at the church of Domremy and often did I see Joan come to church, to Mass and to Compline. And when I did not ring the bells for Compline, Joan would catch me and scold me, saying that I had not done well; and she even promised to give me some wool if I would be punctual in ringing for Compline. . . ." Perrin Drappier - churchwarden of Domremy in Joan's childhood
"I was brought up with Joan the Maid next door to her father's house. I know that she was good, simple, pious, fearing God and his saints; she went often and of her own will to church and to sacred places, caring for the sick and giving alms to the poor; this I saw myself, for when I was a child I myself was sick and Joan came to comfort me. . . ." Simonin Musnier - farmer and childhood friend of Joan
"My father's house joined the house of Jacques d'Arc: so I knew her well. We often spun together, and together worked at the ordinary house-duties, whether by day or night. She was a good Christian, of good manners and well brought up. She loved the Church, and went there often, and gave alms from the goods of her father. She was a good girl, simple and pious so much so that I and her companions told her she was too pious." Mengette - childhood friend of Joan.
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