The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-05
"MAID OF ORLEANS"
Jeanne O. Arc Will Be the Next
Catholic Saint.
CEREMONY OF CANONIZATI0N
France Asked for PapaI Bull Two
Centuries Ago, but Objections
Were Raised.

Jeanne dare, the Maid Of Orleans" whose
canonizatlon is now about to take place at
Rome, left no descendants. This is not SO
superluous a declaration as might appear at
first sight. For there have been several
pseudo noblemen, including q self-styled
French Duke, who when visiting this country
in search Of heiresses, have had the incredible
impudence to include the name OF the Maid
Of Orleans among their alleged ancestresses
in their usually apocrypha4 parchments and
genealogical documents.
Jeanne dare" however had a brother,
and from this brother are descended-on
the distaff side it Is true-the Marquis and the
Counts de Maleysse, one Of whom, Count
Stephen Maleyssie Is married to an American
girl who was a Miss Burnett Stears of New
York, and who with her Will figure promin-
emily in the grand ceremonies in st. Peters
at Rome, which are to signalize the canon
ization Of the Maid of Orleans"
The llneal male line in direct descent from
Jeanne d'Arc's only brother became extinct
with the death of Charles de Lys, advocate
general of the so-called court OF aides, in 1882.
One OF his daughters. however married GER
tain NJ. Barentin, and one of Nine. Barentin' 8
daughters in turn became the wife OF the
Marquis de Maleyssie in 1894 The eldest son
Of this marriage was killed at the battle of
Malplaquet. and left no issue. From the sec
ond son, who, in 1928, married Philiberte de
Boulllon, are descended the present Marquis
and the Counts de Maleyssle
The American-born Countess de Maleyssie
has among her most treasured possessions
three authentic letters of the maid Of Or
leans" signed 'Jehanne." Her husband Is
a member Of the exclusive Union club al
Paris, and besides having q beautiful house
in the capital they have q couple of chat
eauR. ..
The demand for the canonizatiOn OF the
Maid of Orleans has been before the vati
can for close upon two centuries, All sorts
of objections were raised to her elevation tt
the rank of saint. Italian prejudices may
have had something to do with the hesita
ton about converting into full-fedged sain
this national heroine Of France. But thu
present pontiff, who realized the importance
of pleasing the French Catholics, and O
Identifying as far as possible French nationa
sentiment with Catholicism, succeeded in re
moving the obstacles, and the Maid ate
being beatified some years ago Is about t.
be converted into a saint, and will probabl!
from henceforth take her place as the nationa
and patron saint Of France.
The average layman naturally fails to ap
preciate the significance OF the numerous
stages Of the two processes, Qualification ant
canonizatlon, which have to be passed
through before candidate for saintshlp cal
become duly accredited saint
Very few OF those who are admitted int
the lower grade Of the sanity hierarchy
beatifcatlon--aotually reach the stage of can
onizauon, and on what principle a selection
Is made from the ranks Of the venerated 70
full saintship is known only to the pope an
sacred college. At all events, centurie
usually slapse before the apotheosis of
beatiaed takes place For instance, st. Win
cent de Paul, one Of the most famous saint
inn the calendar, the founder Of the order
Little Sisters Of the Poor, who was born i
1875, did not attain full saintship until 1747.
Originally martyrdom was an essentis
qualification for canonization. those who's
claims were based chiefly on miracles sci
dom reaching higher stage than beatf
cation. OF these miracles two were cor
sidsred the 'irreducibe minimum"
Perhaps the most famous lay saint In til
Psychological calendar is Louis TX. Blu
though the claims Of the king who built th
Satnte Chapelle and brought the sacre
crown of thorns to France might be SUP
posed to be sufficiently strong, yet the blu
OF canonization was only granted after
most searching inquiry into the veracity
the fiftyseven miracles attributed to b
relics.
The procedure in the inquiry into saint
claim to canonization is usually submitte
to as searching an examination and sort
tiny as are those of a claimant to lapse
peerage in the English house OF lords
fact, before the saint can be formally ir
scribed on the Canon Sanctorum he mus
survive the ordeal of twenty six processes