As secular art projects develop around the saint in the United States, it is worth remembering that nothing in his work can be explained without God.

St. Joan of Arc is a constant source of inspiration for Western artists, especially in the United States, making this 13th-century saint the protagonist of many contemporary works, sometimes based on the most ideologically fanciful narratives. It is far removed from the life and work of the Maid of Orleans, reducing her to a feminist icon or a figure of class struggle.

recently article On CNN, he examined why, 600 years after his birth, he is still considered an admired figure in popular culture. The author describes her as the ultimate expression of feminine power, who despite her humble background managed to change the course of French history by crowning king Charles VII. The article also states that there has been a resurgence of references to the French saint in recent months in the cultural world of singer Chappell Roan. performance At the VMAs, to the futuristic horsewoman dressed by self-proclaimed “genderless” designer Jeanne Friot at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, and finally to director Baz Luhrmann’s announcement It’s from an upcoming movie.

From literature to cinema, from music to fashion and even manga, few historical figures can boast of being the muse of many artists, for better or worse.

Where does this enduring popularity come from? Historically speaking, it is relatively new; It only began to emerge in the 19th century, several centuries after his death. One reason for this is that no comprehensive historiographical work existed before the publication of this work. Condemnation and rehabilitation of Jeanne d’Arc (“The Condemnation and Rehabilitation Trials of Joan of Arc”) by Jules Quicherat in the 1840s.

The story of his life sparked interest among the French intellectual elite of the period, especially the republican and anti-clerical movements, who saw him as a model of strength and moral rectitude in the face of a crumbling monarchy and a victim of the institutional Church.

As the hero who saved France from England during the 100 Years’ War, it is clear that he was an ideal figure of resistance against foreign invaders in the war propaganda of the first half of the 20th century.

The popularization of this patron saint of France in the United States occurred primarily through feminist movements that campaigned for women’s suffrage, as noted by French historian William Blanc. pointed out In a 2019 article, he cites the founding of the “Joan of Arc Suffrage League” in New York in 1909 as an example.

He also argued that this romantic vision of a pioneer of democracy was instilled in the American imagination through the book. Joan of ArcThe 1896 story of violently anti-religious novelist Mark Twain is directly compared to him here Albert DreyfusA Jewish soldier famous for being the victim of a judicial conspiracy in 19th-century France.

In support of her show, Blanc also referenced American author Lidia Yuknavitch’s 2017 dystopia, writing: “The Maid of Orleans, a young woman wearing men’s clothes, has indeed become an androgynous figure in recent years that questions the boundaries between the genders.” novel Joan’s BookIt tells the story of a young woman named Joan’s struggle against the dictator Jean de Men in a world devastated by the ecological crisis. Her resistance is supported by a character named Christine (a reference to the great medieval poet) who openly declares gender equality. Christine de Pizan).

The historian commented, “One thing is certain: his representation, constantly reinvented to suit different periods and audiences, will no longer have much in common with the prophet of the Middle Ages.”

But these forms of evasion testify to an unquenchable thirst for models of greatness and purity of soul that tends to transcend all ideological divisions, no matter how random and unwarranted. This is a sign of the times that they intend to capitalize by spreading this collective thirst, which does not go unnoticed by Catholic youth and also transcends borders.

This is reflected in initiatives such as: Jean d’Arc 600an extensive network of prayers and education based on the saint’s legacy, initiated to celebrate the sixth centenary of his birth, and the proliferation of pilgrimages to revisit the stages of his life in his homeland.

The real challenge today is Pope Benedict XV. As Benedict said on the occasion of Joan of Arc’s canonization on May 16, 1920, it is to make her admirers around the world aware that her entire life was “a proof of the existence of God.”

This was indeed a useful reminder from the Pope; The Pope astutely added that those who tried to explain his life and work without God were “lost in a labyrinth of unopenable labyrinths.”

“France is justly proud of Joan,” he declared, “and the Holy Church triumphs in her!”