Sarkozy annotating the unifying and heroic figure of Joan of arc on anniversary

The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, yesterday glosó the value and the exploits of Joan of arc, "the French best known, most respected and most loved in the world", contained uniter and symbol of the resistance and national identity, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of his birth in 1412.

For the Church is a holy and for the Republic "the embodiment of the most beautiful French virtues" and patriotism, Sarkozy said in a speech in Vaucouleurs (northeast of France).

In reality, highlighted, was "the face of the first French resistant," at a time that, in the midst of the most terrible tests, the national conscience was forged.

In opposition to the national front, which ultraderechista from ago three decades claiming the nationalism of the medieval Warrior dead at age 19 at the stake accused of heresy, the French Head of State said that "does not belong to any party, any fraction or any" u000a"clan".

Sarkozy made these statements in Vaucouleurs, city "where it all started" and that during the hundred years ' war, when it was born Joan of arc, he remained loyal to Charles VII, even though much of the region and France was in the hands of England.

Before visiting Vaucouleurs, where Joan of arc released his victorious campaign against the English in 1429, the French Head of State toured his native house in the nearby town of Domrémy-la-Pucelle, accompanied by several Ministers, local personalities and historians.

For Sarkozy, was "an obligation" to be in the native land of Joan of arc to pay solemn tribute France granted to those who must "his freedom and his greatness".

Compared their achievements to the of general Charles de Gaulle, Member of the resistance French Jean Moulin and the writer Victor Hugo and emphasized its role as "unifier" to anyone who wants to use her figure "for" u000a"split".

Sarkozy recalled that in the winter of 1412, when the so-called "Maid of Orleans", was born France was, "and perhaps rarely in its history, on the verge of sinking and disappearing forever": was "invaded, divided, abandoned to looters, armed gangs".

The "slow and patient" work of nation-building that had mobilized the energy of an entire people and seventeen generations of a same dynasty since the year 1000, summarized, "appeared to doomed", and in addition, the monarch of England had proclaimed himself King of France in 1415.

From the age of 13, Joan of arc heard some voices that she attributed to Angels and saints and who told him what should do to enable the future Charles VII was finally crowned King of France.

Sarkozy highlighted "the faith and the value" of young illiterate warrior who, without knowing riding, became heroic Amazon, flag in hand, at the head of the troops French.

Added that u000athe story of Joan of arc is not a legend, but "a true story", and underlined how the process that took her to the stake in 1431 "nothing he was averted".

The memory and the innocence of Joan of arc, canonized in 1920, were rehabilitated by the Church in 1456.

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