Jeanne o Jeannette tenía 19 años cuando fue quemada en la hoguera de la plaza del mercado de Rouen. La razón de la sentencia fue su “reincidencia” en la ‘haeretica pravitas’ por usar ropa de hombre mientras estuvo encerrada en prisión. Ella es la única hereje medieval condenada por la ropa que vestía.
It is not the only unusual aspect of a human, religious, judicial and even political history, which lasted a total of six years, of which the last three dedicated to fulfilling its prophecies.The last three months of those years, Juana, Jeanne, spent them defending herself and her mission before the judges.
He won fame immediately and the processes occurred in 1450-1456 that concluded, almost half a millennium later, with his canonization in 1920.In the Middle Ages there are many examples of popular holiness that, after new investigations they became condemned heresies.The judicial case of Juana de Arco followed unusual and complex roads: popular holiness became heresy and then recognized holiness and obtaining the prestigious Patron Title of France.
How did this adventure start?In 1428 Jeanne, a sixteen-year-old "poor pastor", left Domrémy 'hometown, a border land between the Anglo-Borgoñón and French domain where military confrontations were frequent.Escorted on horseback, arrived in Chinon, where it was received by Carlos VII.In the political-military scenario of the War of the Hundred Years, which faced the English and French monarchies with the occupation of continental territories and disputes over the succession to the throne of the capetos, Juana played a fundamental role.
She was a young woman who not only reached the aspirant to the throne to then head a victorious army, but was so uncomfortable that she was first abandoned (from the support of Carlos VII) and then sold (by the Duke of Burgundy to the British to the British.).Political pragmatism could use, ignore or condemn Jeanne's prophetic role.
The "poor pastor" had become a fearsome war machine, a political problem and a religious danger due.The faith in an inalienable truth made her rebellious and indomitable, while the prophecy of which she was a carrier led her to a political-military context and to dynamics that she could not handle.
As a military leader, he directed an army, but never killed a man;as a virgin (maid) she was the guarantor of the sacred character of the Capeto dynasty;And as a carrier of a prophetic charism "in action" she was unstoppable.This charm full of almost unlikely contrasts created the myth of the clear character.To get out of the conceptual impasse of the contradiction between heresy and holiness, it should be clarified that Jeanne was never declared heretic.
From the reform this self -identification acquires the claiming nature of a religious choice.The contrast between two figures (heretic and Santa) is linked to the documentation that is preserved.1431 trials condemned her for heresy, not for witchcraft, despite the fact that the judges insisted on performing the interrogation in that direction.
The testimonies were against Jeanne, whom they defined as a "superb girl" for the way he reacted and responded, did not fold to judicial logic, but defended himself with words and silences in a confrontation in which the provocationsThey brought out an unusual temperament.
Jeanne's responses broke with a tradition for which women called heretics were represented with a choral image or spoke between little or nothing (in inquisitorial judgments)).Examples such as Margherita called "La Bella", follower of the Dolcino fria.
Margherita known as "Porete", refused to speak before the judges and, ignoring his authority, became the author of her own silence with which she signed her sentence to the stake.Jeanne did not know how to write because he was illiterate, but firmly dictated the letter to the English also addressed to the king of England.
However, in the Jeanne trial he did speak.Made it tall and clear, in a combative and lucid, reactive and provocative way.Although the judges were interested.What for her was strength and faith, for judges were signs of witchcraft.
He said that at age 13 he heard a "voice of God".It was summer, he was in his father's garden and it was almost noon.The voice and a light came from the side of the church.At that time he made the decision to remain Virgin.The voice, or the voices–, and the virginity were the protection shield that the judges for a long time intended to transfer with their insistent questions.The virginity protected her from the accusation of demonic origin of the voices because a maiden, a young virgin, could not be an evil creature.
The local tradition and folklore articulated rural rites around the "tree of the Lord" or the "fairy tree", a majestic there are near Domrémy in which young people hung crowns of flowers for the hidden and dark,Because fairies would be evil spirits.The inquisitors assured that Jeanne heard the voice in that place, where he danced and sang around the tree at night after hanging the ornaments and uttering invocations and spells.She was accused of possessing the mandragora and always carrying her.She always denied it.
The judges continued to insist on the issue of voices.Jeanne was reluctant to identify them, but he was forced to give them an authorship: they were from Santa Catalina and Margarita, as well as the Archangel Miguel.
God's support to the crown of France through Jeanne is intertwined with past and present prophecies: “What honor for female sex!(...) Jeanne will return harmony to Christianity and Church.She will destroy the pagans (the English) and the innoble heretics ".
With the defeat of Paris, the decline that would lead to the capture and accusation of heresy began.About to go to the stake, Jeanne abjurad.It was the only failure of a rebel, of a woman alone.She was taken to the prison where they were waiting for her with men's clothes: symbol and epilogue of her prophetic ride.
*Original article published in the July number 2021 by Donne Chiesa Mondo.New Life Translation
