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

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.