Joan of Arc
The 23 minute show, explored Joan's feats, explained how knights armor isn't as heavy as it appears, so the petite 19 year old would have had no issues wearing the armor in battle. The show said that in addition to the visions, that she had heard voices from the time she was a very young girl, and she did what these voices said to her. She was convicted of Heresy and burned at the stake. Where she never cried out, but focused on the name Jesus... saying his name over and over until she died. I found the short show, VERY informative giving insightful information, some I knew already, some I didn't. I recommend this one, it's worth the time.
From Wikipedia: Joan of Arc: ca. 1412 – 30 May 1431), nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is considered a heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. She was born to a peasant family at Domrémy in north-east France. Joan said she received visions of the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination late in the Hundred Years' War. The uncrowned King Charles VII sent Joan to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief mission. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted in only nine days. Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII's coronation at Reims. On 23 May 1430, she was captured at Compiègne by the allied English-Burgundian faction. She was later handed over to the English, and then put on trial by the pro-English Bishop of Beauvais Pierre Cauchon on a variety of charges. After being convicted, she was burned at the stake on 30 May 1431, dying at about 19 years of age.
Twenty-five years after her execution, an inquisitorial court authorized by Pope Callixtus III examined the trial, pronounced her innocent, and declared her a martyr. Joan of Arc was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. She is one of the nine secondary patron saints of France, along with St. Denis, St. Martin of Tours, St. Louis, St. Michael, St. Remi, St. Petronilla, St. Radegund and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
Pope Joan
Pope Joan I had never heard of, and when I asked a dear friend of mine who is a devout Catholic, he just laughed at this one. As I pretty much expected. I am not sure what I believe at this point. The 23 minute show, gave both sides of the story, several alternatives, several versions. And some evidence that is quite believable. AND some that isn't.
The story, Joan, dressed as a Monk to travel with her "partner" hid her gender from all those around her. She was very bright, and very knowledgeable and moved rapidly through the ranks of the Catholic Church. All the way to the top becoming Pope. She was able to hid her femininity under the Monk's robes, and the Church garb. And being small and usually fasting, did not menstruate. During a procession in town, Pope Joan fell off of her horse in massive pain, as she gave birth, or miscarried in the streets. Quite possibly she miscarried because she didn't know she was pregnant. Once her secret was out, she was then executed by quartering on the spot.
It stated in the show that the route the Pope travels was changed after this to "avoid" the street where Pope Joan was outed and killed. And I read in one of the online articles, that a "Dung" chair is used now, where the prospective Pope sits on it, and a Bishop underneath reaches through a hole in the chair to "feel" the testicles and prove gender beforehand. Some of this all seems preposterous. But women time and time again throughout history, have been successful at infiltrating male oriented activities. Could it be that this Joan was successful at being the Pope, OR is this propaganda to discredit and shine darkness on the Catholic Church.
Who could possibly know now?
From Wikipedia: Pope Joan was a mythical female pope who allegedly reigned for a few years some time during the Middle Ages. The story first appeared in 13th-century chronicles, and was subsequently spread and embellished throughout Europe. It was widely believed for centuries, though most modern historians consider it fictitious, perhaps deriving from historicized folklore regarding Roman monuments or from anti-papal satire.
The first mention of the mythical female pope appears in the chronicle of Jean de Mailly, but the most popular and influential version was that interpolated into Martin of Opava'sChronicon Pontificum et Imperatorum, later in the 13th century. Most versions of her story describe her as a talented and learned woman who disguises herself as a man, often at the behest of a lover. In the most common accounts, due to her abilities, she rises through the church hierarchy, eventually being elected pope; however, while riding on horseback, she gives birth, thus exposing her sex. In most versions, she dies shortly after, either being killed by an angry mob or from natural causes. Her memory is then shunned by her successors.
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