Follow-up on Joan and her voices by Tracy Ressa

Here is some interesting information from Tracy Ressa...thanks, Tracy!

Who were Joan's "Voices?"

 

Joan herself stated at her trial that an angel she later learned was the Archangel Michael first visited her when she was thirteen on a summer day in her father's garden. Joan went on to explain how the Archangel Michael instructed her to "be good and go habitually to church." The Archangel Michael also gave her instructions as to her mission:

"The Voice told me, two or three times a week, that I, Joan, must go away and that I must go into France. Joan responded to the Archangel Michael with a certain astonishment later saying at her trial: "I answered that I was just a poor girl who knew nothing about riding or leading in war." The Archangel reassured Joan that other Voices would come to help and counsel her: "Saint Michael, when he came to me, told me that Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret would come to me and that I should act by their advice, that they were bidden to lead me in what I had to do and that I should believe in what they would say to me and that it was by God's order." 

 

As we look at who these saints were and what strong defenders of the faith they were, we nod our heads and think how appropriate that these are her counselors:

 

St. Michael the Archangel

 

St. Michael is one of the principle angels;  his name was the war cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers.  (See Daniel 10:13, Daniel 12, Rev 12:7)

 

St. Catherine of Alexandria

 

Catherine of Alexandria is said to have been born the daughter of Cestus, wealthy man of Alexandria in Egypt. She was noted for her wealth, intelligence, and beauty. She is said to have learned philosophy, languages, science (natural philosophy), and medicine. She refused to marry, not finding any man who was her equal.

She is said to have challenged the emperor (Maximinus or Maximian or his son Maxentius are variously thought to be the anti-Christian emperor in question) when she was eighteen years old. The emperor brought in some 50 philosophers to dispute her Christian ideas -- but she convinced them all to convert, at which point the emperor burned them all to death. She then is said to have converted others, even the empress.

This infuriated the emperor and she was tortured on a spiked wheel, which miraculously fell apart and the parts killed some who were watching the torture. Finally, the emperor had her beheaded.

In about the 8th or 9th century, a story became popular that after she died, St. Catherine's body was carried by angels to Mount Sinai, and that the monastery there was built in honor of this event.

St. Margaret of Antioch

 

Margaret was a virgin and martyr from Antioch, where her father was a pagan priest. Having embraced Christianity and consecrated her virginity to God, she was disowned by her father and adopted by her nurse.  (Her mother died shortly after Margaret’s birth.)

 

One day while she was watching sheep, a Roman prefect named Olybrius caught sight of her, and, attracted by her great beauty sought to make her his concubine or wife. When nothing could succeed in moving her to yield to his desires, he had her brought before him in a public trial at Antioch. Threatened with death unless she renounced the Christian faith, the holy virgin refused to adore the gods of the empire and an attempt was made to burn her, but the flames, we are told in her Acts, left her unhurt. She was then bound hand and foot and thrown into a cauldron of boiling water. Miraculously, at her prayer, her bonds were broken and she stood up uninjured. Finally the prefect ordered her to be beheaded.

 

Tracy