Description
Oil dedicated to St Joan of Arc on prayer cloth
The oil dedicated to St Joan of Arc on prayer cloth is in honour of the Frech heroine and martyr. She is also known as “The Maid of Orléans”. At the age of 18 she led the French army to victory over the English at Orléans.
Joan of Arc was born in 1412, in Domremy, France. The daughter of poor tenant farmers Jacques d’ Arc and his wife, Isabelle. Joan learned piety and domestic skills from her mother. Never venturing far from home, Joan took care of the animals. Also, she became quite skilled as a seamstress.
Joan’s Heroic Act
Joan believed that God had chosen her to lead France to victory in its long-running war with England. Subsequently, with no military training, Joan convinced the embattled crown prince Charles of Valois to allow her to lead a French army to the besieged city of Orléans. There it achieved a momentous victory over the English and their French allies, the Burgundians. After seeing the prince crowned King Charles VII, Joan was captured by Anglo-Burgundian forces. They tried her for witchcraft and heresy and burned at the stake in 1431, at the age of 19. However, by the time she was officially canonized in 1920, the Maid of Orléans had long been considered one of history’s greatest saints. Also, she is an enduring symbol of French unity and nationalism.
St Joan’s Death
On May 29, 1431, the tribunal announced Joan of Arc was guilty of heresy. On the morning of May 30, she was taken to the marketplace in Rouen and burned at the stake. There was an estimated crowd of 10,000 people. She was 19 nineteen years old. Also, one legend surrounding the event tells of how her heart survived the fire unaffected. Her ashes were gathered and scattered in the Seine.
Joan of Arc is like a shooting star across the landscape of French and English history. She is amid the stories of the Church’s saints and into our consciousness. Women identify with her; men admire her courage. She challenges us in fundamental ways.
St Joan of Arc healing oil/Tradition of oils
The tradition of anointing with sacred oil is very old indeed. It is used in sacraments and also as a devotional practice. The sick person applies the oil and blesses themselves. As they do so, they are asked to pray to whomever the oil is dedicated to. The Irish blessings oils do not have miraculous power. It is God who has the power to heal. Applying the oil while praying are important ways for us to express our faith in God’s power. Moreover, by doing so we place our trust in God.
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