Saint Joan of Arc - Prayers and texts

Short biography of Saint Joan of Arc with many illustrations. The second part contains a novena and many prayers to ask for the protection of the saint.

The cathedral of Puy-en-Velay, under the name of the Annunciation, had an insignia statue of the Blessed Virgin, which was venerated at all times by many pilgrims; but their participation increased, and the crowd became immense in the years when Good Friday, falling on March 25, met with the feast of the Annunciation, which is celebrated on the same day. The faithful would then run to win the great jubilee granted by the popes to Notre-Dame du Puy, whenever this coincidence occurred. Charles VII, as was customary in a number of churches, had canonical rank in this cathedral and frequently came to pray there when he resided in his castle of Espally.

It has been noted that the Great Jubilee of Notre-Dame du Puy was again in evidence during Lent of 1429, when Joan of Arc arrived at court, and she sent some of her companions to pray in the sanctuary, where her mother also went on pilgrimage. It is natural that the piety of the young virgin of Domrémy considered as a favorable circumstance for the beginning of her work the extraordinary contest of prayers which took place that year at the feet of Mary in the cathedral of Le Puy, and which was of such a nature as to attract to France special graces from God.

It does not seem, however, that the thought of this pilgrimage occupied a predominant place in his mind, for she herself did not go there.