“Throughout history there have been moments where the lines between good and evil are clearly visible.”

By George Yagi Jr.

IT’S BEEN SAID that there are no atheists in foxholes. There may be something to that old adage; soldiers who have gone into battle often find faith they never knew they had. After all, when facing the ultimate test of life and death, few can be sure if they’ll survive. And for some, placing their destiny into the hands of the Almighty allows them to fearlessly go forward.

According to the Christian tradition established by the famed philosopher, Saint Thomas Aquinas, a just war may only be fought under the guidance of the proper authorities. Attacks are only to be carried out against those who have committed a grievous wrong. And the outcome of the struggle must be “the advancement of good or the avoidance of evil.”

Throughout history there have been moments where the lines between good and evil are clearly visible. So it should not be a surprise that saints have risen up from among the ranks of soldiers who served in those conflicts. While there are many, here are three from ancient to modern times:

Saint George

A Roman soldier who lived during the 3^rd century, Saint George was born in Cappadocia, located in modern day Turkey. His parents were members of the Greek nobility, and his father Gerontius, was a respected Roman army official. At the age of 14, upon the death of his father, George accompanied his mother, Polychronia, to Palestine. Three years later, his mother died, and George joined the Roman army at Nicomedia. Distinguishing himself among his peers and showing remarkable bravery, George quickly rose in rank, achieving the title of Tribune by his late twenties, and becoming a member of the Praetorian Guard. However, his promising career ended when Emperor Diocletian ordered Christians in his army to renounce their faith. George refused and was martyred on April 23, 303. In 1350, he was declared the patron saint of England by King Edward III. Towards the latter end of the 16^th century George was further immortalized in William Shakespeare’s play Henry V, with the famous words, “Cry God for Harry, England, and Saint George!” To this day he remains the patron saint of soldiers.

Joan of Arc 

The Maid of Orléans, Saint Joan of Arc, was born in the northwestern French village of Domrémy on Jan. 6, 1412. A pious child, at 13 she claimed that she could hear the voices of saints. As she grew older, the voices urged her to free France from English control and restore Charles VII to the throne.

At the time, France was in the throes of the Hundred Years War, which lasted from 1337 to 1453. She soon presented herself to French authorities requesting an audience with the prince or dauphin. Although Joan’s claims that she spoke for the saints were greeted with skepticism, she eventually made her way to the royal court. After her arrival, officials immediately began an investigation into her claims that she was a messenger from God. Satisfied with their findings, she was soon allowed to join French forces on their way to the front.

Her first major battle was the Siege of Orléans, where she arrived on April 29, 1429. Initially, French officers hoped Joan would simply preach to the rank-and-file of the defenders. However, she refused to remain on the sidelines, and instead charged into the heat of battle. At one point during the siege, Joan was shot in the shoulder with an arrow and was carried away from the fighting. Upon witnessing her departure, the English jeered that they had killed a witch. Determined to remain with the men, Joan ordered the arrow removed and quickly remounted her horse. The enemy’s heckles gave way to cries of terror as the French rallied behind the young heroine and achieved a victory. Joan would go on to free numerous cities from English control, eventually making her way to Reims, where Charles would be formally crowned king.

Following her capture in 1430, during an ambush carried out by Burgundian forces allied to the English, she became the subject of a highly politicized trial. The English were determined to discredit her, and she was falsely accused and executed for the crime of heresy on May 30, 1431. Yet even in death, Joan still remained a driving force in the conflict. She quickly became a rallying point for the French, who would eventually drive the English from their lands.

Blessed Charles of Austria

Established in 1282, the Habsburg Monarchy would rule until the end of the First World War in 1918. Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, and the death of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1916, the throne passed to Emperor Charles I. Born on August 17, 1887, Charles pursued the life of a soldier at an early age. A colonel by the time of the the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Charles served as a liaison officer with the German army at Galicia. The following year he achieved the rank of major general, and by 1916 he was at the Italian front as a field marshal lieutenant. Before his uncle’s death, he received two additional promotions making him a colonel general and great admiral.

On ascending the throne, Charles quickly began attempts to negotiate a peace for Austria-Hungary with the Allies through Vatican channels, but his efforts were unsuccessful. He remains the only major political figure who supported Pope Benedict XV’s efforts to bring an end to the devastating conflict. After the Armistice on November 11, 1918, Charles renounced his right to participate in government affairs. The following year, the Habsburgs left Austria for a life in exile, and Charles died on the island of Madeira on April 1, 1922. At his beatification on October 3, 2004, Pope John Paul II remarked that in his religious life Charles strove for the good of his people, particularly social assistance. The pontiff hoped that Charles would serve as an example to modern day politicians.

Dr. George Yagi Jr. is an award winning author and historian at the University of the Pacific. Follow him on Twitter @gyagi_jr