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  Joan of Arc: Hero of Lorraine, Hero of France, Hero of Christendom Selected Writings by Maurice Barrès Buy the Paperback Here Buy the Kindle Edition Here    Newly-released is a collection of writings by Maurice Barrès (1862-1923).  Barrès was a novelist, traveloguist, and politician.  Among his political accomplishments was successfully pushing for France to establish a national feast of Joan of Arc and patriotism, celebrated on the second Sunday of May: due to Barrès' efforts, this feast was established in 1920, shortly after Joan's canonization, and it is celebrated to this day. The core of this volume is a collection of articles Barrès wrote during World War I, relating to this drive for a national feast.  To supplement, I have also included some earlier, more lyrical essays on Joan of Arc's childhood, and a chapter from a travelogue about his visit, with his son, to Joan's hometown of Domrémy.  Appendices also include selections from Barrès' jo...

  Introduction Paul Claudel (1868-1955) was a French playwright and poet, known for his devout Catholicism and how it affected his poetry.  The following diptych, "The Crucifix," first appeared in his 1916 collection Other Poems During the War .  The original poem consists of long lines that rhyme in couplets; my translation is instead in a kind of ballad meter: alternating tetrameters and trimeters rhyming ABCB.  Each two of my lines reflects one of Claudel's lines, so the rhymes are still in equivalent relation. The Crucifix Paul Claudel His Head Seen From the Right Of all the Body crucified,     only Head is free. The thorns they’ve wrapped around, with care,     mean no support can be. Three hours it has reigned and prayed;     three hours we’ve seen God’s Face. In the end, the Head must fall     when force has left His frame. Behold! the moment has arrived     that patient we’ve awaited. ...

  Hail to you, Cross,  joying of Christians!  Hail to you, Cross,  crushing of tyrants!  Hail to you, Cross, firming of faithful! Hail to you, Cross, comfort of faithful! Hail to you, Cross, firming of martyrs! Hail to you, Cross, victory's weapon! Hail to you, Cross, throne of the King! Hail to you, Cross, sign of salvation! Hail to you, Cross, O shining light! Hail to you, Cross, sword of the Spirit! Hail to you, Cross, fountain of grace! Hail to you, Cross, storehouse of goods! Hail to you, Cross, to age upon age!   Nota Bene: This litany is adapted from a Coptic liturgical text; see Service of the Deacons: Rites and Hymns of the Liturgies and Services of the Coptic Orthodox Church (Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, 2010), 255-256.   Adaptation ©202 4 Brandon P. Otto .  Licensed via CC BY-NC.   Feel free to redistribute non-commercially, as long as credi...