Joan of Arc

"In my town they called me Jeannette, and since I came to France I have been called Joan," as she said herself. To most people though she is better known as Joan of Arc or the Maid of France. Joan led a life that started with her hearing "voices" from her "counsel", to her battles in France to expel the English, to crowning the dauphin, King Charles VII, to her trial, and then finally to …

… legate Guillaume d'Estouteville made a much more thorough investigation of the case and finally on the order of Pope Calixtus III, following a petition from the d'Arc family, proceedings were instituted in 1455-56 that revoked and annulled the sentence of 1431. Pope Benedict XV canonized Joan on May 16th, 1920 and on June 24th, 1920 the French parliament declared a yearly national festival in Joan's honor this is held the second Sunday in May.