5 Christian Lessons from the Life of Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc

Becoming a martyr is about sacrificing for a principle and a belief no matter what the cost. We can see this in the Bible. Stephen was stoned, John the Baptist was murdered for preaching about Jesus, Paul died from preaching the message of Christ, and Jesus died for all mankind. Joan of Arc also died for her faith.

Joan was a military leader and acted under divine guidance to lead the French army over Britain during the Hundred Years' War. She knew she needed to fight against doubters, and persecution to fulfill the vision God gave her. At the age of 19 she was executed for heresy after becoming an icon of France, and would have a retrial after her death releasing her from wrongdoing. She was canonized by Pope Pius X in 1909, and her story lives on today for all of us through books, television, movies, and the church.