The Mentor: Joan of Arc, v. 3, Num. 22, Serial No. 98, January 1, 1916

In a France torn apart by the Hundred Years’ War, a meek shepherd girl from the forested village of Domrémy emerges as an unlikely beacon of hope. Born to a peasant family in 1412, she spends her childhood tending flocks and helping around the house, earning the affection of neighbors for her strength and kindness. Though she cannot read or write, a deep religious devotion shapes her world.

At thirteen, she reports a luminous voice and visions of angels urging her to save France and to serve the unseen hand of God. Skeptical yet compelled, she insists on attending church and soon feels a personal mission that outweighs her modest upbringing. When the English siege of Orléans threatens the last stronghold of the dauphin, the girl—now calling herself Joan—steps forward, convinced that divine guidance will lead her onto the battlefield.