The Union Territory of Pondicherry is blessed with picturesque natural landscapes. The erstwhile French colony also abounds in historicity that is evinced by the numerous historical statues like that of the Statue of Joan of Arc.
The Statue of Joan of Arc, sited in the union territory’s capital Pondicherry town portrays the legendary French woman, Jeanned' Arc in her triumphant best as she stands overlooking the picturesque town. Today she stands tall in glorious pristine marble in a beautifully tended sprawling garden, ahead of the L’ Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges.
Joan of Arc, the celebrated French avant-garde lived during the 15th century and is noted for her tremendous courage and valor. A great believer in Christ, her pious soul was aroused by repeated visions of the Almighty. Highly inspired, she responded with alacrity to retrieve her country from the clutches of the English.
A ground breaking revolutionary, Joan of Arc’s courage and confidence remained undefeated even when she was severely wounded in the battlefield. She had to surrender after a tragic combat near Compiègne. After a highly scheming and convoluted trial, Joan of Arc was charged with the serious allegations of heresy and sacrilege.
Eventually, the unjust verdict was altered by the then Pope who firmly held his ground on her innocence and goodwill. Another 24 years down the line, she became a martyr and her path breaking work was an inspiration for many. Finally she was beatified in the 1909 and accorded the status of a saint, a decade later in 1909.
