(1412?–31). One of the most romantic figures in European war history was Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who saved the kingdom of France from English domination. She has also been called the Maid of Orléans and the Maid of France. When she was only 17 years old, Joan inspired a French army to break the English siege of the French city of Orléans and to win other important victories.
Joan of Arc. (2018). In Encyclopædia Britannica.
(1842–1909). Religious leader and educator Mary MacKillop was the first Australian to be declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. Her feast day is August 8. During her lifetime she was known as Mother Mary of the Cross.
Saint Mary MacKillop. (2018). In Encyclopædia Britannica.
(1920–2005). The first Polish pope was John Paul II, who was the 264th bishop of Rome. His 26-year reign as head of the Roman Catholic Church—from 1978 until his death in 2005—was one of the longest in church history. John Paul II made extraordinary efforts to reach out to people around the world, to both Roman Catholics and those of other faiths. Traveling a far greater distance than did all the popes before him combined, he took 104 trips abroad. The crowds that came to hear him speak were sometimes among the largest ever assembled, and he reached still more people through televised broadcasts. He maintained an impressive touring schedule even after becoming visibly ill with Parkinson disease and severe arthritis in the 1990s.
Saint John Paul II. (2018). In Encyclopædia Britannica.
(1182–1226). The founder of the Franciscan order, St. Francis was born at Assisi, in central Italy, in 1182. He was baptized Giovanni. His father, Pietro Bernardone, was a wealthy cloth merchant.
Francis of Assisi. (2018). In Encyclopædia Britannica.
(1910–97). One of the most highly respected women in the world, Saint Mother Teresa was internationally known for her charitable work among the victims of poverty and neglect—particularly in the slums of Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. She is also called Saint Teresa of Calcutta. In 1979 she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in recognition of her humanitarian efforts. She also received the Jewel of India, India’s highest civilian medal, as well as honorary degrees from academic institutions worldwide. The Roman Catholic Church declared her a saint in 2016.
Mother Teresa. (2018). In Encyclopædia Britannica.
