The Feast Day of Joan of Arc
Roman Rite Calendar - 05/30
Tridentine Calendar - 05/30
Beatified
11 April 1905 by Pope Saint Pius X
Canonized
16 May 1920 by Pope Benedict XV
Following her execution, there were many who felt that Joan of
Arc should not have been burned, but honored and made a saint
for her communications with God, and her hand in leading the French
to freedom from the English.
Sadly, it was not for several years until she was even cleared
of the charges. In 1452, the process of clearing her name would
begin, and during that same time the Church declared that a religious
play made in her honor at Orleans would qualify as a pilgrimage.
This set the stage for the sainthood of Joan of Arc, and the
creation of a Joan of Arc day, or St. Joan of Arc feast day to
honor her. The push to make her a saint and create a Feast Day
of Joan of Arc would gain some steam during the 16th century when
Joan of Arc became a symbol of the Catholic League.
By 1849, Monsignor Felix Dupanloup, who was the Bishop of Orleans,
made the attempt for Joan of Arc's beatification and a creation
of a Joan of Arc Day, until his death in 1878. Sadly, he did not
live to see how the process would turn out for Joan of Arc.
Joan of Arc would finally have her beatification in the year
1909, which would lead to the creation of a Feast of st. Joan
of Arc. Her official canonization would happen on May 16, 1920,
with the Joan of Arc Feast Day being set for May 30. Her canonization
was performed by Pope Benedict XV at St. Peter’s Basilica
in Rome. May 30 was chosen as the day for the Saint Joan of Arc
Feast Day because it was the day she was burned at the stake.
In all, 489 years passed between her death and her canonization,
a notoriously long period of time for sainthood.
However, since the creation of the Feast Day of Joan of Arc and
her sainthood, Joan of Arc has become one of the most popular
saints in the history of the Catholic Church. Joan of Arc Festival
or feast is celebrated on May 30th.
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