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The Banners of Joan of Arc
by Nikki Phillips
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"Joan of Arc in Battle" by Hermann Anton Stilke
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Joan of Arc was a young peasant girl from eastern France who, at the age of sixteen, claiming divine guidance, convinced the French king that she was called to help him during his battles with the English near the end of the Hundred Years' War. She led the French army to several significant victories, which culminated in the coronation of Charles VII in 1429. The following year she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to their English allies. After being tried by an ecclesiastical court for witchcraft and heresy, she was burned at the stake in 1431 at the age of nineteen.  | |
"Joan at the Coronation of Charles VII"
by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
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Twenty five years later the trial was revisited, she was pronounced innocent and Poe Callixtus III declared her a martyr. Joan of Arc is one of the patron saints of France. Recently there was a prophetic word on the Elijah List by Kathie Walters in which she referenced a quote by Joan of Arc: "I loved my banner forty times better than my sword. And when I went against my enemy, I carried my banner myself, lest I kill any. I have never killed a man." Intrigued by this, I did some research and discovered that Joan actually had three banners made in 1429 - a very large battle standard, a smaller triangular pennon and a square banner. Her battle standard was made of white fabric similar to artist's canvas with a silk fringe on the edges. It measured 3 feet high by 12 feet long with two tails. Painted on the standard was an image of Jesus holding the world, with two angels on either side, and the words Jhesus Maria. Joan used the standard to mark her location on the field of battle and rally her soldiers on to victory. She also took her battle standard with her when she attended the coronation of King Charles VII in Reims Cathedral on July 17, 1429. When questioned about this later during her trial she said, "It had borne the burden, it had earned the honor."  | Image from the Joan of Arc Museum
in Rouen, France |
The smaller pennon was painted with an Annunciation scene and was carried by one of her squires on the battlefield. Joan's small square banner was painted with a crucifixion scene and was used as a focal point to gather the priests and soldiers of her army for their daily prayer. Joan of Arc's life is an inspiration in many ways and her use of banners in warfare provides wonderful examples to us, almost 600 years later, of the strategic power and anointing that can accompany the use of banners in warfare and in service to our King. Here is a website that gives an overview of the life of Joan of Arc with many illustrations. A more thorough history may be found here . You can find more information about Joan and her banners on these sites: http://saint-joan-of-arc.com/banner.htm http://musee.jeannedarc.pagesperso-orange.fr/banner.htm http://archive.joan-of-arc.org/ http://www.reportret.info/gallery/joanofarc1.html http://www.stjoan-center.com/j-cc/ | 
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The Wailing Wall as it stood tall; letting me see the LORD is there and hears my prayer. It's a sacred place to seek his face.
