St. Joan of Arc

Saint Joan of Arc, also known as the Maid of Orléans, was a French peasant girl who, in the 15th century, claimed to have received visions from saints instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination during the Hundred Years' War. Joan convinced Charles to let her join the war effort, and she played a key role in several victories. She was eventually captured by the English, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake. Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint in 1920 by the Catholic Church and is considered a national heroine of France.

Feast Day is on May 30
Patronage: France; martyrs; captives; military personnel; people ridiculed for their piety; prisoners; soldiers; and women who have served in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service)