Daughter of Louis XI, King of France, Joan of Valois was born in a castle in Nogent-le-Roi, near Chartres, on 23 April 1464.
Newsroom 022/04/2025 22:45, (Gaudium Press) When he learned that Joan had facial deformities and would become almost a dwarf, stooped and lame, her father was indignant and despised her. But her mother, Queen Carlota of Savoy, treated her with extreme affection and taught her to always turn to God, the eternal Father.
As soon as she could walk, Joan often asked the ladies of honour to take her to a church to pray. And the King, in order to take her away from the Queen, sent the girl to the residence of the Barons of Linières, a childless couple in Berry – the centre of France.
Fervent Catholics, the Linières welcomed her with joy and improved her religious knowledge. They made her learn to play the lute, embroider and other crafts. However, the best part of her time was spent in prayer.
Very devoted to Our Lady, one day she asked Her what she should do to please Her. The Blessed Mother replied that Joan would found a religious order to praise Her. Joan then made a resolution to give herself totally to the Blessed Virgin.
When she was only twelve years old, her father arranged her marriage to Louis XII, Duke of Orléans, when she was fourteen.
When she received the news that she was to be married, she prostrated herself before a crucifix and begged the Redeemer for graces to maintain her purpose of total consecration to Jesus and Mary.
Duchess of Berry
Louis XI died when Joan was 19 years old and his son Charles VIII succeeded him. The Duke of Orléans took up arms against the new king to usurp the throne, but was defeated and condemned to death.
Thrown into prison, where he remained for three years, the Saint went to visit him, but he always refused to see her or speak to her.
Although she was aware of her husband’s guilt, she insistently asked her brother, Charles VIII, for his release and obtained it. But the duke never thanked her for the favour…
When Charles VIII died without descendants in 1498, the Duke of Orléans became King of France under the name Louis XII. One of the first measures he took was to have his marriage to Joan annulled, which Alexander VI approved.
Although publicly humiliated, the Saint told the new king that she thanked God for this separation, as it would allow her to better dedicate herself to serving him.
Impressed by Joan’s outstanding virtues, Louis XII granted her the usage of the dukedom of Berry. She became Duchess of Berry.
Before leaving for Bourges, her capital, Joan said goodbye to the King and told him she was grateful to him for freeing her from the harsh bondage of the world. She apologized for any mistakes she might have made. She declared that she wanted to atone for them by devoting her life to prayer for the King and for France.
Two miraculous lights
Joan had had an epistolary exchange with St. Francis of Paola, who confirmed to her that the inspiration she had received in childhood was of divine origin, and recommended that she undertake the foundation of a religious order.
In Bourges, she gathered a group of girls willing to dedicate their lives to the glorification of Our Lady and founded the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was recognized by the Holy See in 1501.
St. Joan, who had administered the duchy so well, entrusted other people with the task and began to look after the religious alone.
On 4 February 1505, she expired serenely surrounded by the nuns of her Order. A miraculous light shone over her bed for an hour and a half after she breathed her last.
At the exact hour of her death, another light from the heavens shone down on Louis XII’s palace. Impressed by this divine sign and moved by divine grace, he repented of his mistreatment of her and ordered royal funeral feasts to be offered to his former wife.
Silver trumpets sounded in St Peter’s Basilica
Dr. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira commented on this admirable heroine:
‘St Joan of Valois was despised by everyone, even by her father, and finally repudiated by her husband. But she led her life with dignity and serenity. She founded a religious order and governed the fiefdom acquired after her marital separation very well.
‘After her death, she received the honour of the altars. Despite everything that could be said about her, only one thing mattered: she was a Catholic, and that was enough. For her own safety, her business card was ready: Roman Catholic. It’s a beautiful title! This presumption of being a Catholic is the root of what Camões called ‘the Christian impudence’.
‘When we have this pride, we dare to launch ourselves. Not because we are more in the human order of values; perhaps we are even less than some. But that does not matter. What is important is the fact that we are Catholics, that we have received the sign of Baptism on our foreheads, that we are children of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.”
Dr. Plinio attended Joan of Valois’ canonization ceremony on 28 May 1950 in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He later said:
‘I was given a seat next to the Muslim ambassador from Egypt. At the moment of the Consecration, the silver trumpets began to sound. One had the impression that they were being blown by Angels in heaven. A real marvel! And an intense emotion seized
the faithful.
‘I was deeply moved, but I’m not emotional. I glanced at the Egyptian ambassador to see how such a scene would affect the mentality of a Mohammedan. He was leaning over and I noticed that tears were flowing from his eyes.
‘After the Consecration, he returned to his normal position. The repercussions of the memory of this grace, coming at the hour of death, we will know on the Day of Judgement.”
By Paulo Francisco Martos
With Files From Notions of Church History
Compiled by Sandra Chisholm
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