Now, take a look at the statue in the center of the chapel. You’ll see Joan of Arc tied to a wooden post, her face calm and resolute. Beneath her feet, the sculptor has carved flames, capturing the moment of her execution here in Rouen — this was the very city where she was condemned and burned at the stake. Joan was born around the early fourteenth century in a small village called Domrémy. France at that time was in chaos — defeated again and again by the English during the Hundred Years’ War, much of the country had fallen under English rule, and even the French king’s claim to the throne was uncertain. Then came Joan, a teenage girl who said she heard the voices of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret, telling her that God had chosen her to save France and help crown its rightful king. Imagine that — a 13-year-old girl in medieval France, convinced she carried a divine mission. She convinced a local commander to send her to the Dauphin Charles, the heir to the French throne. When Joan met him, she revealed secrets only he could have known, and he believed her. Soon, clad in armor and carrying a white banner marked with the names Jesus and Mary, she rode at the head of the French army. At Orléans, her courage turned the tide. She led her troops in battle, was wounded by an arrow, but refused to retreat. Her faith and energy lifted an army that had nearly given up hope. Within months, the English were in retreat, and Joan stood beside Charles as he was crowned in Reims Cathedral — exactly as her voices had promised. But Joan’s story didn’t end with triumph. It is said that the French court, now secure, grew wary of Joan’s influence. A year later, Joan was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English. And sadly, Charles – the same man she helped make king – did nothing to save her. Joan was handed over to Church authorities, who were always suspicious of ordinary people claiming to hear messages from God. Her visions, they argued, must have come from the devil. She was tried for heresy in a Church court, where most of the judges – more than ninety percent – were French, not English. Despite intense questioning, they couldn’t get her to say anything that clearly proved her guilt. They pressured her to deny her visions and to stop wearing men's clothes. She eventually gave in. But that should’ve been the end of it. Instead, they tricked her. In the prison, her clothes were taken away and she was left with men’s clothing – and when she put them back on, they said she had relapsed. This time, they added the charge of cross-dressing, which they saw as a serious religious offense. She was convicted and, under Church law, sentenced to be burned alive. Joan of Arc was led to the marketplace, tied to a stake, and burned alive. She was just 19 years old when this happened. If you’re wondering how this young woman — once branded a heretic — became Saint Joan of Arc, we’ll continue that story later in the tour. Our next stop is the tomb of Rollo. Look for the tomb adjacent to the choir screen with Rollo written in the inscription of the tomb. See the map and photos to identify the location.