At Vaucouleurs, in the crypt church of De Baudricourt's castle, there is a statue called 'Our Lady of the Vaults.' Joan often prayed before this statue while she waited for Sir Robert to give her permission to leave for Chinon. In the town's museum there is an ancient crucifix called 'The Christ of Septfonds,' which came from the Church of Saint Nicolas-de-Septfonds. Joan prayed before this crucifix. Here also near the Gate of France stands an ancient and enormous lime tree, to which tradition says Joan tied her horse while making last minute preparations for her departure.
In the shrine chapel of Saint Catherine-de-Fierbois, there is the statue of Saint Catherine, in front of which Joan prayed. In the town of Saint-Pierre-le-Moutier's church there is an ancient stone statue of Saint Michael which Joan knelt and prayed before. In the town of Lagny, where the child was restored to life, there is a statue of the Blessed mother called 'Our Lady of Good Help.' It was before this image that the dead child was laid and Joan and the town's girls prayed. In Compiègne's Church of Saint Jacques, just prior to her capture, Joan heard Mass and received Holy Communion after which she knelt and prayed before a stone statue of the Madonna and Child. The city of Poitiers has the stepping stone used by Joan to mount her horse when she was leaving this city.
The United States is fortunate to have a possible third class relic of Saint Joan. The relic, not part of the original small gothic chapel of St. Martin de Sayssuel, was incorporated into it when this 13th or 14th century chapel was reconstructed on the campus of Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The story surrounding the famous Joan of Arc stone tells how Joan prayed before a statue of Our Lady standing on this stone and at the end of her petition she kissed it. From that time on the stone has remained colder than the stones surrounding it. What seems certain is that the nich, of which it is a part, is of the same period as Joan of Arc.
I asked where Joan's father, mother and brothers were buried. I was told that their burial sites were unknown.
Now let us consider the case of Saint Joan's 'White Armor.' This is truly a treasure hunt worthy of 'Indiana Jones!' There are two possible locations for her armor. They are: Luxembourg or Burgundy, France. Some historians believe Joan left her white armor in the Abbey church of Saint Denis, after her failed attempt to take Paris. Once King Charles and his entourage left the town of Saint Denis, it was retaken by the English. The English entered the church and stole Joan's armor and took it back with them to England. Regine Pernoud disagrees with this theory. She believes Joan did not leave her armor, but gave instead, as a votive offering, the armor of a captured Burgundian knight. This armor is now in the Musee de L' Armee at the Invalides, Paris.
It is more likely that Joan retained her white armor and was wearing it at the time of her capture and it has been passed down in some family of Burgundy or Luxemburg. Perhaps if that family did know what they had, they would not say anything about it because the French government would insist that they give this national treasure back to them. There is another strong possibility that her armor still remains unknown and undiscovered in some storeroom of a castle in Luxembourg or Burgundy.
