Catholic Coat of Arms

Most Rev. Gaudencio B. Rosales, D.D. Archbishop of Manila 's Coat of Arms

2012-01-17T23:25:00.003+08:00

The coat of arms of Most Rev. Gaudencio B. Rosales, D.D., Archbishop of Manila has two sides. The right side represents the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Manila. The left side represents the personal coat of arms of the Archbishop.

On the upper right (red) side, the tower of Castille portrays the Almighty God in the tower He who is called in Psalm 60, “My shelter, a strong tower against the enemy.” The three windows in the figure of the tower signify the Three Divine Persons. To its right is a Crescent, the symbol of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the Archdiocese of Manila.

On the lower right (blue) side, a sea lion engarde holding a pilgrim’s cross on its right represents the origin of Christianity through the evangelization of the Philippines by the Spaniards and the Philippines’ role in Christianizing the Orient. Manila played a key role in the development of faith for the whole of the Philippine archipelago. The sea lion itself is the symbol of the Philippines.

On the right, which represents the coat of arms of the Archbishop, there are three levels.

The top level reveals his personal devotion to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, through the three symbols. The three are not just individual objects of devotion, but focal expressions of unity in a basic community, sample of the Trinity.

The middle level signifies both the family origin (rose) and his former assignment as Archbishop of Lipa (Taal Lake of Batangas province).

The bottom level depicts Kitanlad mountain, the second peak in the Philippines which towers over Bukidnon where he spent more than a decade of meaningful pastoral ministry among the people of Central Northern Mindanao—the prelature, and later, Diocese of Malaybalay.

Si mortuum fuerit, fructum affert. “If it dies, it brings forth fruit” (John 12:24).

The Archbishop has not only fallen in love with this verse, he also has sworn to live by it. This means that his life is not keyed on success or good name. He has to live with brokenness in order to live again in His promise. People and communities are accompanied in life with verse so also along the same spirit of Vatican II’s Optatem Totius (OT, 7, 8).

Rev. Fr. David O. Reyes, Jr. Coat of Arms

2011-12-13T16:46:00.002+08:00

The ordinary ecclesiastical hat (galero) of the simple priest is black and has on either side a single tassel(fiocchi) of the same color. Placed over this hat is the shield bearing the symbols of Rev. Fr. David O. Reyes, Jr.

The shield’s dexter side depicts the origin of Father David. At the upper dexter is the harp and two crowns. The harp symbolizes the biblical shepherd-turned-king David, his namesake who is also notable as a psalmist; while the two crowns signify Father David’s lineage, the Reyes family. In Spanish, “reyes” is transliterated as “kings,” hence the two crowns. The harp and the crowns are placed side by side to stand for the fact that Father David is the second person to bear such a name in his family. The lower dexter bears the symbols of the patron saints of Nagcarlan. Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, the principal patron of the town, is represented by the flaying knife, the instrument that awarded the saint the crown of martyrdom. Beside the flaying knife is the symbol of the rose. It reminds us of the food which Saint Didacus of Alcala, the secondary patron of the parish, kept in his Franciscan habit for distribution to the poor and which miraculously turned into roses. It also implies the Blessed Virgin, the Rosa Mystica. She who is Queen of Apostles guided Father David as a seminarian and continues to watch over him even to this day. It is in the town of Nagcarlan that Father David was brought up to live the Catholic faith and to be of service to the Church.

The right side depicts the patron saints of the seminaries where Father David studied. At the upper right is the crossed sword and scroll, famed symbols of Saint Paul the Apostle. The very foundation of Father David’s formation to the priesthood lies in the Pauline spirituality that he imbibed during his days at Saint Paul Seminary under the tutelage of the Society of Saint Paul. At the lower right is the three overlapping circles tiered with a crown, reminiscent of Saint Charles Borromeo’s coat of arms. Father David was formed into the diocesan priesthood at San Carlos Seminary, the first conciliar and diocesan seminary in the country.

The heraldic colors of metallic silver and amaranth red demonstrate a contrast of light metal against dark color. Silver expresses sublimity and solemnity; red corresponds to passion, love and sacrifice.

In honor of the Apostle Paul, his protector and patron, Father David chose as his motto the words Comprehensus sum a Christo (Christ made me his own) to remind him of the great task that has been given to him – to be an alter Christus in capitis, to be another Christ the Head – and of his constant need to grow in holiness. The motto was liberally derived from Paul’s letter to the Philippians (3:12): “Non quod iam acceperim aut iam perfectus sim; persequor autem si umquam comprehendam, sicut et comprehensus sum a Christo Iesu”(It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus).

Bishop Gregory hartmayer's Coat of Arms

2011-12-13T16:21:00.004+08:00

Bishop Gregory Hartmayer's Coat of Arms

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah, USA

A bishop’s coat of arms is distinguished by a sign of his rank. That sign, placed over the shield, is a particular version of an ecclesiastical hat that was worn in processions, as late as 1870. The hat is lowcrowned, flat, and wide brimmed. On a bishop’s coat of arms, the hat is green and hanging from it are 12 green tassels, six on each side. There’s also a processional cross above the shield. The cross on a bishop’s coat of arms has one bar; an archbishop’s cross has two. The design of the shield itself differs from bishop to bishop.

Municipality of Somosierra, Spain, Coat of Arms

2011-12-13T15:56:00.000+08:00

Municipality of Somosierra, Spain, Coat of Arms

Republic of the Philippines Coat of Arms

2011-12-13T07:50:00.000+08:00

Republic of the Philippines Coat of Arms

Bishop Leo M. Drona Coat of Arms

2011-12-13T07:46:00.001+08:00

Bishop Leo M. Drona Coat of Arms

Diocese of Paranague Coat of Arms

2011-12-13T07:06:00.002+08:00

The miter symbolizes the pastoral authority of the bishop-elect, which he will be exercising within the three cities, Parañaque (Crown with “M”), Las Piñas (Bamboo Organ), and Muntinlupa (the mountain near a body of water), comprising the Diocese of Parañaque.

Coat of Arms of Isabela II

2011-12-13T05:50:00.001+08:00

Coat of Arms of Isabela II

Coat of Arms of Bishop Pol Jaucian

2011-12-12T23:08:00.004+08:00

Coat of Arms of Bishop Pol Jaucian

Here's the explanation of the bishop's Coat of Arms"

The shell of the upper left corner is the symbol of hierarchy of the Diocese of Bangued, Abra. This item adapted from the coat of arms of the Diocese of Bangued. The shell also pertains to St. James being a fisherman. A symbol of authority being fishers of men [and women].

The lion in the upper right corner calls to mind the animal symbol of the name 'Leopold'. Like a lion, the bishop hopes to be courageous and strong in facing up to the challenges of the Diocese of Abra.

The figure at the bottom (with the dove) is a Chinese character symbolizing the Divine Word, a reminder of the Society of the Divine Word wherein the Bishop belongs to. At the same time, it is a symbol of the Blessed Trinity. The Chinese element in the Coat of Arms is a memory of his apostolate to the Chinese of the Society of the Divine Word. The first SVD missionary to Abra was a former missionary to China. Now the new Bishop has in his resume a long running involvement in the Chinese apostolate.

The dove bearing an olive branch is the universal symbol for peace. To be an instrument of peace is the foremost concern of the Bishop of Abra.

The Coat of Arms is completed by the gold processional cross behind the shield; the green hat with the tassels at the sides, indicated of his Episcopal rank; and the motto on an ornamental scroll.

The motto "Manete in Me" ("Remain in Me"), from John 15:4,9 was chosen as a reflection of the constant prayer the Lord, and the Bishop, will be always with his people.

Coat of arms of Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales

2011-12-12T23:03:00.002+08:00

Coat of arms of Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales

Diocese of Pasig, Coat of Arms

2011-12-12T23:00:00.002+08:00

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pasig is the diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines that comprises Pasig City, Pateros, and Taguig City. It was established by Pope John Paul II on June 26, 2003 by virtue of the Papal Bull Deus Caritas. It was formally inaugurated on August 21, 2003, with the installation of Most Reverend Francisco C. San Diego, DD. as its first bishop. The Immaculate Conception Parish, located in the central vicinity of Pasig, was made the cathedral or the seat of the diocese.

Bishop Mylo Vergara's coat of arms

2011-12-12T22:56:00.001+08:00

Bishop Mylo Vergara's coat of arms

Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia Coat of Arms

2011-12-12T22:54:00.001+08:00

Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia Coat of Arms

EXPLANATION OF THE COAT OF ARMS OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE MOST REV. FRANCISCO SAN DIEGO, D.D.

2011-12-12T21:56:00.004+08:00

EXPLANATION OF THE COAT OF ARMS OF HIS EXCELLENCY
THE MOST REV. FRANCISCO SAN DIEGO, D.D.
BISHOP OF PASIG

MOTTO

The bishop’s motto "Servus Die" Latin for "servant of God," implies His Excellency’s ardent desire to follow the Eternal and loving Will of the Father in all the circumstances of his life and most especially in his new assignment as Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Pasig. He knows fully well that the performance of God’s will in the spirit of obedience and humility is the key to open the door and enter the Kingdom of Heaven for he who does the will of my Father shall enter it (Mt. 7:21).

COAT OF ARMS

The new coat of arms of Most Rev. Francisco san Diego, D.D. combines the official seal of the Diocese of Pasig (left) and his own personal coat of arms (right).

LEFT QUADRANT: Official Seal of the Diocese of Pasig

The official seal of the Diocese of Pasig reflect the past and present of this newly erected ecclesiastical territory. The shield is divided in two by a wavy line composed of three pairs of white and blue. A light blue field occupies the upper part while a green field the lower part.

The light blue color symbolizes the sky and the Virgin Mary as the immaculate patroness of the diocese. The green field recalls the agricultural past of Pasig, made fertile by the Pasig River represented as a wavy line.

On the upper section is placed the monogram of Mary encircled by twelve gold and silver star and below the monogram is a silver crescent moon, representing the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the new diocese of Pasig.

The pairs of wavy lines also represent the three towns from which the diocese has been constituted: Pasig, Taguig and Pateros. The towns are represented by the attributes of their patronal saints. The diocesan seat, the town of Pasig, is represented in the upper filed of the monogram of Mary encircled by stars. An open book is the attribute of Sta. Ana, patroness of Taguig. She is often depicted teaching the Virgin Mary her first letters. But the act of teaching the Virgin how to read is far less important than teaching her God’s covenant. The open book with its clasps undone represents the revelation of the Old and New Testaments. The Greek Alpha represents the letters of the alphabet; it is also the equivalent of the Hebrew Aleph, which represents God as the beginning of all. Impaled behind the book is the pilgrim’s staff with a water container symbolic of san Roque, and a simple cross, symbolic of Santa Maria, invoked by duck farmers and balut makers. Both are patrons of Pateros.

UPPER RIGHT QUADRANT

The coat of arms of the bishop has adopted a design that reflects his person. The shield’s chief or upper third is a red field on which is a golden heart, bleeding and inflamed. This speaks of the bishop’s love for God that is ever kindled by faith and nurtured everyday by his ardent devotion to the Eucharist and personal prayer.

LOWER RIGHT QUADRANT

This quadrant is a blue field on which are a silver star, a net and fishes. The fish and net symbolize His Excellency’s family origin, Obando, Bulacan, a town known for its rich marine life, and his vocation as a "fisher of men." The star, which hovers over the fish and net symbolizes the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Star of the Sea. His fidelity to the task of being a fisher of men draws strength and inspiration from our Lady whose will undoubtedly guided each one to heed each respective vocation, thus making Christ reign.

Gadget

2009-01-31T14:38:00.000+08:00

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Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification

2008-11-03T09:07:00.000+08:00

Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification

Pope Benedict XVI

2008-11-01T12:40:00.007+08:00

For eight centuries or longer, popes have symbolized the heart of their papal ministries by designing their own personal coat of arms. Pope Benedict XVI's coat of arms has three personal elements:

1. A shell

The central element of the shield is a large gold shell. In his autobiography Milestones, Memoirs: 1927-1977, he explained his reason for using it in his coat of arms as archbishop of Munich and Freising: It is "above all the sign of our being pilgrims, of our being on a journey."

The shell also represents the story of St. Augustine meeting a boy on the seashore who was scooping water from the sea and pouring it into a small hole he had dug in the sand. The Saint compared this seemingly useless activity to our limited human minds trying to understand the infinite mystery of the divine.

2.The Moor of Freising

The upper left-hand corner depicts a brown-faced Moor, with a crown and collar. It comes from Joseph Ratzinger's Bavarian heritage and from the archdiocese where he had served as bishop. It has been used in the shields of the bishops of Freising for 1,000 years. Uncertain of its original meaning, Pope Benedict XVI sees it as "an expression of the universality of the Church, which knows no distinctions of race or class since all are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28)."

3. St. Corbinian's bear

The upper right-hand corner of the shield depicts a brown bear with a pack on its back. This comes from an old Bavarian legend about St. Corbinian, the first bishop and patron saint of the Diocese of Freising. As the story goes, the Saint was traveling to Rome one day when a bear attacked and killed his horse. St. Corbinian punished the bear by making him carry his belongings the rest of the way to Rome.

The bear symbolizes the beast tamed by the grace of God. The pack he is carrying symbolizes the weight of the bishop's ministry. Cardinal Ratzinger wrote in his autobiography: "The bear with the pack, which replaced the horse or, more probably, St. Corbinian's mule, becoming, against his will, his pack animal: was that not, and is it not an image of what I should be and of what I am?"

On the back of the shield are the papal keys, in remembrance of Christ's words to Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).

Benedict XVI introduces two new features to his papal coat of arms:

A miter replaces the old papal tiara, which had been an image of royalty left over from the days when popes were sometimes more political than spiritual. The papal miter on his shield is silver and has three gold stripes, symbolizing the Supreme Pontiff's three powers: order, jurisdiction and magisterium.

A white pallium with black crosses is draped below the shield. The pallium is a woolen stole symbolizing a bishop's authority. It's the typical liturgical insignia of the Supreme Pontiff, indicating his responsibility as the chief shepherd of Christ's flock. During the first centuries, popes wore genuine sheepskin on their shoulders. Later, they started using a white woolen band instead

source:http://wordbytes.org/pope/CoatOfArms.htm

Introduction

2008-11-01T11:36:00.004+08:00

I was been inspired by the interview of Zenith to Michael McCarthy, founder and proprietor of Australia's Thylacine Press before the latter died on the importance of coat of arms in the Catholic Church.

Clearly coat of arms is of western origin, particularly European and fundamentally of Christian influence as a way of identification and in some way education. In United States of American they modified it as a seal.

This site will not only give you the graphic presentation of the coat of arms but as well as their explanation if available.

Since, Filipinos do not use coat of arms in everyday living, surely, it will be difficult for me to find out my family coat of arms. So I decided to look at the coat of arms of Somosierra municipality in Spain. Since, I cannot make one for the moment for my own, I will use it until I can make my own.