Feast Day: May 30

Patron Saint of: France

St. Joan was twelve years old when God began giving her visions, eventually asking her to help unite France and make Charles VII the rightful king. Despite much tormenting and ridicule, she was able to convince Charles VII to send her into battle during the Hundred Years War, which brought France multiple victories, led to the formal crowning of Charles VII as foretold in her visions, and eventually helped turn the tide for France to be completely sovereign from England. She was later put on trial for heresy, witchcraft, and dressing like a man. When she refused to lie about her faith in God to save herself, she was burned at the stake at age nineteen. Her martyrdom only inspired the people of France all the more and eventually led to their complete freedom from the English.