On this Day in 1412…Joan of Arc by Donna Schlachter

From Wikipedia

We all love heroes and heroines. And history—hence the name of our blog. One definition of a hero or heroine is “the one running toward danger when everybody else is running away”. I’m sure most of us would like to think we would be heroic if needs be—but today we’ll look at a young woman who refused to let political correctness hold her back.

Way back in 1412, a little girl was born who would change the world. The small village, Domrémy, is in the northeast part of France. While her actual birthdate is unknown, we do know a little of her family. Her father, Jacques d’Arc, was a peasant farmer who owned about 50 acres of land, and he supplemented his income by collecting taxes and leading the local neighborhood watch team as a village official. Her mother, Isabelle Romée, kept house and had three sons and another daughter.

From Wikipedia

 

The Hundred Years’ War between England and France began about 75 years before Joan’s birth, and the country was decimated by this point from the fighting, the looting, and the downfall of the economy. The current king of France, Charles VI, was mentally unstable, leaving his brother and cousin to argue over who was rightful heir to the throne. Political assassinations were common, further destabilizing the politics and the economy, and the country was divided politically, further endangering the country’s stability.

Henry V of England took advantage of these internal divisions and invaded in 1415, when Joan was about three years old. Control of the country see-sawed for a number of years, and French peerage allied with England, with France, or opted to create their own independent country in turns.

In her younger years, Joan was an ordinary child. She did chores, spun wool, helped her father in the fields, and looked after their animals. As was common, her mother provided her religious education. The area they lived in was politically unstable, with friends and family alike declaring allegiance to one side or the other.

When Joan was 13, in 1425, their village was attacked and cattle were stolen. Villagers believed the English were responsible, and that these invaders must be expelled if France were to achieve peace. Joan’s first vision came after this raid, one where Saint Michael appeared to her.

Several prophesies circulated during Joan’s youth that suggested that an armed virgin would be the saving of France, and Joan believed she was this woman. When she was 16, she petitioned a garrison commander for an armed escort, but he roughly denied her and sent her home. Later that year, the town was again attacked. When she returned to ask for an escort, she was again denied, but had gained the favor and support of two soldiers.

From Wikipedia

 

Perhaps her most famous military campaign was the Battle of Orleans. In April 1429, she was greeted enthusiastically and boosted morale in the city of Orleans, a strategic location key to the saving of the country. She traveled with the army, staying in the front ranks, and often offered advice on military strategy.

On May 4th, Joan rode out with her banner to the site of a battle at an outlying fort. Her appearance rallied the troops, already exhausted and retreating, and together they attacked again and took back the fortress. Over the following days, several battles resulted in the French re-taking strongholds formerly held by the English. She was wounded but not mortally, and continued to rally the troops.

Following this success, Joan insisted on accompanying the army on its march to Reims to crown a new king. Much progress was made, and many English were captured and killed. Charles VII was crowned on July 16, 1429, with Joan given a place of honor at the ceremony. It was here that she announced that God’s will had been fulfilled.

While Joan wanted to continue the fighting against the English, the new king decided he preferred peace. When her attack on Paris to re-take it for France failed, her role in the French court diminished. It appeared that while her aggressive independence was appreciated in time of war, her failure to support diplomatic attempts lost her supporters. Still, her family were made nobles for her contribution to the war effort, although her failure to succeed in every battle diminished her reputation.

In May 1430, Joan accompanied a force to an attack in Margny, which failed. She was captured and detained, although tried to escape. When that failed, her military days were over. She was ransomed off to England, who still saw her as a threat, and she was taken to English-held Rouen.

From Wikipedia

 

Her trial was held January 9, 1431, and she was accused of blasphemy by wearing men’s clothes, of acting on demonic visions, and of claiming no man was her judge, that God alone would judge her. She was tried in a church-run court, even though everybody knew politics motivated the charges. The verdict was a foregone conclusion, with the ecclesiastical jury of 131 men declaring her guilty without benefit of hearing the charges against her and being denied legal counsel.

From Wikipedia

Joan of Arc was executed by being burned at the stake on May 30, 1431, at about the age of 19, and her remains were thrown into the Seine River.

You might think that’s the end of the story. But it isn’t.

In February 1450, an inquiry into the trial concluded that Joan had been a prison of war who was treated as a political prisoner, and that her sentence was without basis. In 1452, a second inquest determined the trial had been biased.

From Wikipedia

 

On November 7, 1455, more than 24 years following her execution, a trial concluded Joan’s trial was unjust and deceitful, and nullified her conviction and execution. A copy of the Articles of Accusation was formally torn up, and the court ordered that a cross be erected on the site of Joan’s execution.

Joan’s legacy became a symbol of the divine right of the monarchy to rule France as she was widely associated at the defender of the French nation. She had a mind for military strategy, and willingly stepped in when men failed to take leadership. She has been canonized in the Roman Catholic church, and while not officially recognized as a martyr for her faith, she is revered as one who suffered for her modesty and purity, for her country, and for the convictions of her faith.

She challenged the traditions of her time, demanded the right to be heard as an individual, and set her own course in life.





About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story.

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The Crypto Jews of New Mexico

By Nancy J. Farrier

Crypto Jews? What are crypto Jews? I remember being puzzled when my Aunt Mary Jean asked me if I’d ever heard of the Crypto Jews of New Mexico. She has a friend who did some research and while we didn’t have time to go into any detail, she told me I should read up on them because the story is so very interesting. I agree with her and this blog post is what I found in my research.

Spanish Inquisition, Wikimedia Image
by welcomeimages.org

The story begins in Spain and Portugal in the late 15^thcentury. The King of Spain declared that all Jews needed to convert to Christianity. Many of the Jews left Spain. Some of them went to Portugal. Five years later Portugal also decided the Jews must convert to Christianity. 

The punishment for those who didn’t leave or convert was severe. The government started the Inquisition to look for Jews who were hiding among the Christians. Many of the Jews became Crypto Jews or hidden Jews to keep themselves safe. However, staying in Spain or Portugal still meant a huge risk to their lives and the lives of their families. 

After Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas, many of the Crypto Jews decided to become colonists where they could practice their faith in secret. A large group of them made their way to New Mexico, although traces can be found throughout the Southwest. 

The Inquisition followed them to the Americas and Mexico. This is why so many moved to the far northern point of Mexico at the time, northern New Mexico. They wanted to escape the persecution and to live a peaceful life.

Jewish Star, photo by Alex Proimos
Wikimedia Commons

The Crypto Jews were well hidden in the Catholic church. They attended services and to most appeared to be practicing Catholics. However, if you were observant you would note they did not eat pork. They lit candles on Friday night. They attended services on Saturday. They did not pray to the saints. They practiced infant circumcision. These were small clues that mostly went unnoticed but meant the Jews were keeping their faith alive underneath the pretense.

Menorah
Wikimedia Commons

In the 1980’s, New Mexico hired a new State historian, Stanley Hordes. Hordes had written a doctoral dissertation about the Crypto Jews and New Mexico. After he took office, he saw an influx of people visiting him with questions about their ancestry. They talked about grandfathers who wore hats to church on Saturday. They wondered about their unusual skin coloring, which didn’t match that of the Hispanic community. They asked about the unusual artifacts left to them, including driedels. The practice of slitting an animals throat and preparing it in a kosher method. Finding gravestones with the six-pointed Jewish star. 

There were those who opposed Hordes findings and disavowed the idea of Crypto Jews. But, there are many who support these people. In fact, there is a Society for Crypto Jews, started in 1991. Here is a link to their website. They are there to gather information on this hidden segment of society. They have a conference where they share information and meet together. The 2019 Conference is the end of this month in Denver.

I think it would be fascinating to attend this conference and learn more about

Dreidel: Photo by
Roland Scheicher
Wikimedia Commons

the history of these people who avoided execution by fitting in with their surroundings. At the same time, they kept their faith alive, handing down practices through generations.

Have you ever heard of the Crypto Jews of New Mexico? What would you do if you were forced to leave home, leaving behind all your belongings, or die for your faith? What a difficult question. I don’t know if I would truly see the enormity of the decision until faced with that choice. 

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

The Church of St. Anne in Jerusalem

Front of the Church of St. Anne.
Photo Credit: Berthold Werner, Wikipedia, public domain

Several months ago someone shared a video on Facebook of RoseAngela singing “How Great Thou Art” in the Church of St. Anne in Jerusalem. Her voice, the acoustics, everything was absolutely mesmerizing. The caption read, “Singing in St. Anne's right by the remains of the Pools of Bethesda which is where Jesus healed the crippled man (!!!!) The acoustics in this church are coveted by churches everywhere but no one has been able to replicate it.”

I made a note of the post, knowing I wanted to do some research on St. Anne’s and watch more videos. So, today is the day, and I've spent several hours listening to the voices from St. Anne's. They are just as mesmerizing as I thought they would be.

First, here's a little virtual tour of St. Anne's as you walk in and how the church looks from the back and the interior. And, as a bonus, you get to hear the choir sing.

If you'd like to see more videos, just go to youtube and search for The Church of St. Anne, and you'll find several. It looks like people can just sing if they want to. Well, *I* wouldn't (ahem), but those with a voice like RoseAngela definitely should! :)

Built between 1131-1138 and located at the start of the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Suffering, and long held to be the path that Jesus walked to his cruxifiction) and near the Lions’ Gate, the Church of St. Anne is a Roman Catholic church in the old city of Jerusalem.

From a description on Wikipedia, “The three-aisled basilica incorporates cross-vaulted ceilings and pillars, clear clean lines and a somewhat unadorned interior. The nave is separated from the lower lateral aisles by arcades of arches. The high altar, designed by the French sculptor Philippe Kaeppelin incorporates many different scenes. On the front of the altar are depicted the Nativity (left), the Descent from the Cross (center) and the Annunciation (right); on the left-hand end is the teaching of Mary by her mother, on the right-hand end her presentation in the Temple. In the south aisle is a flight of steps leading down to the crypt, in a grotto believed by the Crusaders to be Mary's birthplace. An altar dedicated to Mary is located there. The Byzantine basilica was partly stretched over two water basins, collectively known as the Pools of Bethesda, and built upon a series of piers, one of which still stands today in its entirety.”

It is also believed that the church was erected over the location where Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary lived, so Mary, the mother of Jesus was likely born in this spot. Also, the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the cripple man (John 5:1-9) is not far from the spot.

The above descriptions alone are enough to make this church revered and holy ground, but the acoustics take even the normal hush and reverence that is found in churches and sanctuaries and amplifies it (pun intended) a hundredfold. It’s said that the sounds move across the open space and up from the grotto, and that there is a 5-8 second reverberation. Listening to the videos, I believe it.

There were SO many wonderful videos, but here is a short one that I enjoyed, mostly because it was obvious that Kindra didn't have to be listed on some program or have permission to sing. Her friends/family kept encouraging her to. I was floored. Her voice was so beautiful, and I would have loved to hear more. Much, much more!




The videos of people singing in St. Anne’s are awe-inspiring. The church is a destination point (almost a pilgrimage) for soloists and choirs the world over. Even just watching and listening to some of these audio/videos brings tears to my eyes and a reverence to my heart. I can feel and hear the reverence in their voices as they start to sing and realize the power and just awesome glory in that place.

And then I think of the hundreds and thousands of people who raised their voices in songs of praise in that church in the last 878 years. A huge majority of those were before recording devices, wifi, and worldwide social media. They sang their songs, those who were near enough to hear, enjoyed, praised, and worshiped, and then, like a vapor, their voices and the echoes was gone.

But, now, here I am, thousands of miles away, and modern-day technology lets me listen to recordings of people singing in St. Anne’s in Jerusalem.

Wow. Isn’t that amazing?

Back to RoseAngela, the amazing voice that led me on this journey via the worldwide web. I visited her Facebook page again last week and discovered that she and her husband just welcomed a new baby into their family this past July, and that she’s from Georgia. The video of her singing in the Church of St. Anne was recorded in 2012, but somehow resurfaced in 2016 and has over 54,000 likes, 170,000 shares, and 10,000 comments to date. She mentioned somewhere on her page that she didn’t know why the video suddenly took off again, but somebody somewhere needed to be blessed by it now rather than four years ago.

And now, I leave you with RoseAngela singing "How Great Thou Art" in The Church of St. Anne, Jerusalem.

Enjoy and be blessed!

San Patricio's Battalion

San Patricios Battalion Plaque

The San Patricio’s, or Saint Patrick's Battalion is a little known part of our history. They fought during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), but many of them left the U.S. Army to form their own battalion and fight for the Mexican army. Americans called them traitors and deserters. Mexicans called them heroes. What would prompt a group of men to leave their army to fight for the opposition?

In Ireland in 1845, the great potato famine started. Millions of people would die and thousands would immigrate in an attempt to survive and to provide for their families. Many of the Irish who immigrated to the United States joined the army in hopes of food and payment. The US was on the brink of war with Mexico and the Irishmen were willing to fight for their new country.

Instead of being treated equally, these men were often given the worst jobs and treated poorly. They

Battle of Chapultepec

were almost all Catholic and most of the rest of the army were Protestant. The Irish were not provided a Priest or a Catholic service, but were made to attend the services with the other men. Conditions in the army were harsh for all the men, but especially so for the Irish. Their dreams of a new country and bettering themselves faded fast.

Just prior to the start of the way, some of the Mexican generals found out about the plight of these men. As fellow Catholics, they felt sympathy for them. Fliers were made up offering anyone who would desert the U.S., and fight for the Mexican army, a plot of land and money, which they could claim at the end of the war. To the beleaguered Irishmen, this sounded like a dream come true.

Many of them left prior to the actual declaration of war; some after the US declared war on Mexico. The soldiers who switched sides formed their own battalion—San Patricios Battalion, or Saint Patrick’s Battalion. John O’Reilly headed these men. They were excellent at strategy and said to be fearless on the battlefield. In addition to the Irish Catholics, there were some German Catholics who joined them.

The San Patricios made a banner for their battalion. The bright green background sported an Irish harp and under that the words, “Erin go Bragh.” Beneath that was the Mexican coat of arms with the words “Libertad por la Republica Mexicana.” The other side of the flag showed the image of Saint Patrick and said, “San Patricio.”

Battle of Churubusco

The San Patricios fought for the first time at the battle of Monterrey. In 1847, when Zachary Taylor’s army attacked Buena Vista, the San Patricios were able to seize some of the cannons. They fought hard, but didn’t win the battle. They were forced to retreat. The San Patricios final battle was at Churubusco. They fought hard, but many died or were captured. Only a few were able to flee to Mexico City.

John O’Reilly was captured at Churubusco, along with eighty-five of his men. A few were released since they had not been part of the American army and were not considered deserters. The others were tried for desertion and all found guilty. 

Hanging at Chapultepec

Many of the deserters were hanged. The most famous of these hangings happened at Mixcoac, on a hill overlooking the fortress of Chapultepec. Thirty men stood on a gallows with the noose around their necks watching the Battle of Chapultepec. When the American flag was raised over the fortress, the men were hanged.

On September 12, 1997, the Mexican government paid tribute to these soldiers, whom they consider heroes. They are considered martyrs, who fought for their beliefs. From many an American viewpoint, they are still considered traitors. I've often pondered the choices these men made. They wanted to fight for what they needed and also with those of like faith. They were brave and fearless, intelligent and determined. All they really wanted was a way to live and provide for themselves and their family.

What are your thoughts about these men? Have you read about the San Patricios before? I would love to hear from you.

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and one grandson. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.