Joan of Arc’s Letter to the Hussites (1430)
Jesus, Mary
For a long time now, common knowledge has made it clear to me, Joan the Maiden, that from true Christians you have become heretics and practically on a level with the Saracens; you have eliminated the valid faith and worship, and taken up a disgraceful and unlawful superstition; and while sustaining and promoting it there is not a single disgrace nor act of barbarism which you would not dare. You corrupt the sacraments of the Church, you mutilate the articles of the Faith, you destroy churches, you break and burn statues which were created as memorials, you massacre Christians unless they adopt your beliefs. What is this fury of yours, or what folly and madness are driving you? You persecute and plan to overthrow this Faith which God Almighty, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have raised, founded, exalted, and enlightened a thousand ways through a thousand miracles. You yourselves are blind, but not because you’re among those who lack eyes or ability to see. Do you really believe that you will escape unpunished, or are you unaware that the reason God does not hinder your unlawful efforts and permits you to remain in darkness and error, is that the more you indulge yourselves in sin and sacrileges, the more He is preparing greater suffering and punishments for you?
For my part, to tell you frankly, if I wasn’t busy with the English wars I would have come to see you long before now; but if I don’t find out that you have reformed yourselves I might leave the English behind and go against you, so that by the sword – if I can’t do it any other way – I will eliminate your false and vile superstition and relieve you of either your heresy or your life. But if you would prefer to return to the Catholic faith and the original Light, then send me your ambassadors and I will tell them what you need to do; if not however, and if you stubbornly wish to resist the spur, keep in mind what damages and crimes you have committed and await me, who will mete out suitable repayment with the strongest of forces both human and Divine.
Given at Sully on the 23rd of March, to the heretics of Bohemia.
June 28, 2012 at 9:04 pm
The infamous “Letter to the Hussites” has never been validated by historians as one that was composed or dictated by Joan of Arc (she could not write, but dictated a number of letters which have been validated.)
June 29, 2012 at 12:08 am
There doesn’t seem to be any basis for doubting her authorship other than modern discomfort with the contents.
June 29, 2012 at 1:20 am
There are many references to said letter (as not historically authenticated) in reputable bios on Joan of Arc. I don’t have time to look them up now, but honestly, if you do a little research, you’ll find that what I said is not my opinion, it’s historical fact.
June 29, 2012 at 1:41 am
What does ‘not historically authenticated’ mean? Can you produce anyone who does not disapprove of the contents who doubts its authenticity? Do you have any arguments?
August 7, 2012 at 8:56 pm
After a little research, I have found no substantial doubts about the plausibility of the letter. More interestingly, I have found that Mrs. Noren is the author of a biography of Joan of Arc through the “inclusive lens of contemporary cross-cultural mysticism,” as an expansion of previous papers presented to the “International Conference on the Study of Shamanism and Alternative Modes of Healing.”
June 28, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Wonderful! What a rant! She should have had a blog!