I was contacted by the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau and asked to emblazon their new bishop’s impaled arms. They had seen the work I did for Bp. Johnston, their former bishop and my present bishop, and liked what they saw.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/Resine/Heraldry/Ecclesiastical Arms/ea705da0-3e90-480f-a049-defc49c77b3b_zpsrq6ozrcg.png
The working blazon is: Dexter: Azure, on a chevron wavy Argent, between in chief two fountains and in base a lamb lodged proper supporting a palm branch Or, a mullet between two trumpets all Azure. Sinister: Gules, on a chevron Azure fimbriated Argent, between three ancient crowns Or, two garbs Or. Bp. Rice is retaining the arms he adopted when he was made an auxiliary bishop in St. Louis (See below). They were by Dcn. Paul Sullivan. We discussed his arms here when he was first ordained.
http://archstl.org/files/field-image/rice-coat-of-arms-web.jpg
]]>Bishop Henry L. Porter is the founder of HLPEA, Inc. and the Westcoast Centers located in Sarasota, Florida. His Ecclesiastical symbology and vestments reflect elements of the Anglican tradition.. Bishop Porter is a musician, poet and mathematician who has done extensive religious work in Europe, Africa as well as USA.The concept for his arms and seal originated with his son, who commissioned the finished work as a gift. Blazon:
Tierced in Pall Reversed
1) Azure a Lyre Or
2) Gules Issuant from a Rock a Latin Cross Argent
3) Argent On a Mount a Fig Tree Fructed Proper
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They are impaled with those of Metuchen.
The rationale for his personal arms runs — as ecclesiastical arms are wont to do — into a special kind of theological purple prose, but the design is simple and pleasing, I think. (Some fun parts from the official explanation: "[azure is] the color which symbolizes the separation from the worldly values and the ascent of the soul toward God, therefore the run of the celestial virtues which raise themselves from the things of the earth toward the sky." And the chevron apparently represents the rafters of a church.) As for the charges, the sheep debruised by a crozier is meant as a nod to his seminary work ("forming priests according to the model of the Good Shepherd"), and the shell and crescent are symbols of St. James and his home diocese of Camden, respectively. The crescent also has the happy coincidence of being a major element of the North American College’s arms, where he was rector for 10 years.
A humorous note about the crozier debruising the sheep — sure, it’s a technical heraldic term, but it doesn’t seem very nice printed in a program, "debruising"... as if the pastor weren’t averse to physical punishment to keep the flock in line!
I’m curious to hear what Fr. Selvester has to say about this design, seeing as how these are the arms of his new bishop.
P.S. — As for the artwork, I’ve got to say I’m a tad disappointed, since it’s evident that the artist’s interpretation of the arms of the diocese, at least, was directly copied from the vector version available on Wikimedia Commons:
Not that I’m offended by that design per se (since… well, since I was the one that vectorized it and uploaded it to Commons, actually), but not providing an original emblazonment is less than ideal… less than professional, to be frank.
]]>I’ve known the diocese’s director of sacred worship for years so I offered my humble service. I submitted the emblazonment and was pleased to find out that Bp Johnston greatly liked it. I give you the emblazonment that the diocese and the bishop will be using. I was also asked to paint the arms to be displayed above his chair in the cathedral. He will be installed on November 4.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/Resine/Heraldry/Ecclesiastical Arms/Bp Johnston KCSJ_zpsx8uqab0n.png
The arms were designed by Dcn Paul Sullivan when he was named bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, and I must confess I really like them. They’re among the best bishop’s arms that I’ve seen in my opinion. They also paired up very nicely, I think, with the diocesan arms of Kansas City-St Joseph.For reference, his arms as bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau were:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/Resine/Heraldry/Ecclesiastical Arms/JVJ-Coat-of-Arms_zps3vvqkueq.jpg
]]>Armorial Bearings of the 59th Bishop of Växjö Fredrik Modéus, consecrated on 12 April and Installed 19 April. Artist Ronny Andersen.
The first and fourth Fields shows the Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Växjö the Heads of the Martyrs Unaman, Sunaman and Vinaman. The Bishop’s personal part of the Shield shows a Eagle symbolising the Supervising Overview of a Bishop but also Freedom.
It is holding in its Claws a Ball symbolising the importance of Play, Sports and Fun in the Life. The Lamb is a symbo of Jesus Christ. The Curved partition symbolises a Bridge and the Bishop as a Bridgebuilder and uniter of different wills. It may also symbolise a concrete Bridge that to the Island of Öland which also forms part of the Diocese. The Motto translates as The Grace of God is sufficient.
Also note the Cross in the Hook of the Crozier. It is formed as a Taizé Cross symbolising the impotance of the Tazié Community in France to Bishop Modéu
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Star for the patron of the basilica, Jesuit badge for Pope Francis, the ship as a symbol of the church and to represent the immigrants who founded the parish, and the sail of the arms of the diocese of Raleigh (in turn based on the arms of Sir Walter).
The website unfortunately perpetuates the half-truth that being named a basilica means the church is entitled to a coat of arms. Of course, basilicas are entitled to coats of arms but a church doesn’t have to be a basilica to have arms, it just can’t display the basilical [?] additaments with them.
]]>There are the arms that Vincent Leonard (1908–1994) bore when he was installed as Bishop of Pittsburgh on June 1, 1969:
http://i62.tinypic.com/212sfp5.jpg
Two weeks later, a story appears on the second page of the paper:
http://i57.tinypic.com/14kd2tw.jpg
That was 1969, I guess.
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