7 ways to celebrate the feast of Saint Joan of Arc
- Aimee Boudreaux MacIver
- 14 minutes ago
- 4 min read
"I was born to do this"
St Jeanne d'Arc is renowned as the teenage peasant girl who led the French army to seemingly impossible victory against the English. Her peasant life was entirely ordinary until it became near-mythical. Jeanne earnestly obeyed God's call, no matter how incredulous that call seemed. Her obedience to God ushered in French victory, the coronation of the French Dauphin, and the end of the Hundred Years' War that had wrought generations of suffering.
In her holy tenacity, Jeanne made powerful enemies, both political and ecclesial. On May 30, 1431, they falsely convicted Jeanne as a heretic and burned her at the stake. They threw her ashes into the Seine river, trying to make her disappear forever.
But Jeanne's mother, Isabelle Romée, rejected this end of the story. Isabelle's relentless efforts led to a posthumous rehabilitation trial for Jeanne. Decades after her body disappeared in the smoke and the river, Jeanne d'Arc was proclaimed a holy innocent.
And—she did not disappear at all. In fact, she is one of the most iconic and most-depicted women in history, a heroine beloved by those with faith and without. Her feast is May 30, the day not only of her execution, but also of her eternally triumphant yes to God.
The divine duty to feast
There's a lot to celebrate in Jeanne d'Arc's life! And we ought to celebrate—not just because it's an excuse to eat cake, but because feast days reveal our ultimate destiny. We are created for eternal feasting someday in Heaven. In our earthly lives, feasts matter because they're an opportunity to connect the visible and invisible, the goodness of body and soul, the gift of our senses and the gift of grace.
Here are seven ideas for celebrating the feast of St Joan of Arc.
Visit the Maid of Orleans statue in the Place de France near the French Market.
My favorite element of this golden statue is the look on her face: determined, focused, and so very young. The statue was a gift from the people of France to the city of New Orleans (Nouvelle Orléans). The small surrounding park features plaques with coats of arms from towns and cities connected to Jeanne, including Orléans, Rouen, and Reims. (Fun: This statue looks like a twin of another located across from the Louvre in Paris).
Join the Krewe of Jeanne d'Arc in their annual May 30 festivities.
The krewe's major annual event is a gorgeous tableaux-style walking parade that occurs every January 6 on Jeanne's birthday, which happens to be Epiphany and the opening of Carnival. On her feast day, the krewe hosts a service of vespers at the Old Ursuline convent, followed by bringing flowers to the Maid of Orleans statue and, of course, a French Quarter party.
Pray at St Louis Cathedral.
One of the oldest Catholic places of worship in the United States, the cathedral has strong ties to France (as does pretty much all of the city). There is a striking 120-year-old statue of Jeanne at the rear of the nave.
Read the transcripts of Jeanne's trials.
The transcripts contain her own testimony as well as that of her family, people who grew up with her, and her battle companions. The words offer a powerful immediacy and insight into Jeanne as a real young woman, not a figure of legend.
Enjoy French shopping (or browsing).
Gem de France on Royal Street imports classic products from France like linens, soaps, tableware, and home decor—a fun excursion.
Ride the Algiers ferry across the Mississippi River.
This $2 fare offers beautiful views of the cathedral and Jackson Square, plus a sense of connection to Jeanne's often arduous advance across the rivers and forests of France. I also think the Mississippi's muddy girth resembles the Seine. You can get off and explore the charming neighborhoods and cafes of Algiers Landing, and then come back across.
Eat and drink something French.
As my grandmother used to say, “Here we don’t eat to live. We live to eat.” Like France, New Orleans eats slowly, intentionally, passionately. You’ll find many distinctly French flavors here. Some of my favorites: Cafe Degas (Mid-City); Tartine (Uptown); The Delachaise, Le Petit Bleu, La Petite Grocery, and Lilette (Garden District); Croissant d’Or, Cafe Amelie, Izzat, Mamou, and The Five (French Quarter). If you’re looking for something sweet, try crepes at La Crepe Nanou (Uptown) or beignets anywhere (we love Cafe Beignet on Royal Street and Cafe du Monde in City Park). Most of these places are easily accessible via streetcar from the French Quarter, the Maid of Orleans statue, and the cathedral.
"I retire alone, and pray to God, and, my prayer ended, I hear a Voice which says to me: 'Daughter of God! go on! go on! go on! I will be your Help: go on!' And when I hear this Voice, I have great joy."
+St Jeanne d'Arc
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