Saint Joseph Catholic Church

The Dicastery for Evangelization announced that Pope Leo XIV will pray a Rosary for peace this evening, May 30, at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, as the Marian month of May comes to a close.

The Pope’s Rosary will be simulcast in participating Marian shrines around the world. Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, extended the invitation to the faithful around the world and announced the intentions of each of the five mysteries being prayed.

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The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431), the patron saint of France. In her day, the English were allied with the Burgundians in a war against the rest of France. Joan was compelled by voices of her favorite saints to take up arms in defence of her country. Dressed in a suit of white armor, she led the French in battle against the English, who retreated, believing that she was in league with the devil. She continued to battle against the English, with dwindling support, until she was eventually captured and tried as a witch. She was found guilty and at the scaffold she pleaded guilty in exchange for a pardon from the Church. However, since the English had no intention of releasing her from prison, she quickly renounced her confession and resumed wearing men's clothing. For this they publicly burned her at the stake for witchcraft and heresy. The Church reversed its decision in 1455, and she was canonized in 1920.

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