Mr. Dan Andriacco, director of communications for the archdiocese of Cincinnati, has asked me to design a coat of arms for him. (His family is not armigerous; his grandfather was a shepherd in Italy.)

One very simple, classical design that occurred to me, would be: Vert a saltire between four lions’ heads erased Argent.

The family name, originally Andriaccio, is a diminutive for Andrea/Andrew—hence the X-shaped cross. The would-be armiger’s baptismal name is "Daniel Mark"; both names make me think of lions.

This design is so simple and classical that I feel certain it must be in use already , but I can’t find it. I’m still looking; but if anyone recognizes it, I’d appreciate a heads up.

Fr Dohrman,

The reference to Daniel and Mark is very clever; wouldn’t it be more allusive to use only two lion heads?

As a non-speaker of Italian I may be wrong, but I think that the -accio suffix is actually the opposite of a diminutive, and that the name should therefore mean "Big Andy."  Can’t think of any heraldic implications of that, though.

You may be right about "-accio." Either way, "Andy."

I’ll keep the two heads option in mind, in case I find this design and need to difference it.

I’ve seached high and low on Google and have found no blazons which come close enough to be in danger of being impinged upon.  People seem to like to use crosses between erased lion heads, but saltires not so much, and none using the tinctures involved.

The arms for Técou community in Tarn, France use: Vert a saltire Argent so some people might see an allusion to this rather than Italy?  Well, probably not since a tiny community buried in France probably wouldn’t have a monopoly on argent saltires and green fields, hehe.

If his name were O’Andriacc instead of Andriacco, you could have two lions supporting a saltire—very Irish.

Made some sketches…

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How about two lions and two lambs?—bringing in grandfather’s work, the Biblical reference to the lion laying down with the lamb, the agnus dei (sp??} and far greater likelihood of avoiding inadvertaqnt infringement.

The lion & lamb would also make a nice crest, but I assume he will use a galero of some sort.

Fr. Dohrman, you’ve come up with a nice design, and Claus, some nice options.  Of course I’m partial to vert and argent.

My vote would be for the four lions’ heads.  Interestingly (in that I didn’t think I would) I like Claus’ design with the single head in base better than the one with two heads.

I would prefer the lion and lamb combination. We are after all talking about arms for a clergyman.

lucduerloo;81756 wrote:

I would prefer the lion and lamb combination. We are after all talking about arms for a clergyman.

I think you should look at that first post again…

Dohrman Byers;81741 wrote:

Mr. Dan Andriacco, director of communications for the archdiocese of Cincinnati, has asked me to design a coat of arms for him.

Thanks for the suggestions and help.

Claus: I love your lions’ heads! Mine are much more "primitive." I’ll post some artwork as soon as I have time.

As Fr. Guy picked up, Mr. Andriacco is a layman. In fact, just this morning he said his son is interested in an appropriately differenced version of the arms.

The lions’ heads are not mine. All credit to John Gaylor, who allowed me to use his artwork some years ago.

I guess I lost my thread somewhere along the line

I finished the design for Mr. Daniel Mark Andriacco. (I’m just beginning to play with gradients.)

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4458/andriaccodmweb.png

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

The cross of St. Andrew (saltire) is for "Andriacco". The lions’ heads are for Daniel (of lion’s den fame) and Mark (as in Venice).

The client asked for three things in particular:

(1) the colors of the Italian flag, hence the unusual wreath and mantle, to balance the green white and red,

(2) some reference to his career as a journalist, hence the scribbling lion crest,

(3) the insignia of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher (of which he is a member), hence the Jerusalem cross on the billowing white mantle, evocative of the white cape worn by knights of the EOHS.

Although requested, I would advise against placing the insignia of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher (of which he is a member), hence the Jerusalem cross on the billowing white mantle,  evocative of the white cape worn by knights of the EOHS.

These arms are quite possibly to be inherited by children, which most likely are not members of the Order. It would be better if he chose to show membership in the traditional way.

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Although requested, I would advise against placing the insignia of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher on the mantling, even if it is evocative of the white cape worn by knights of the EOHS.

These arms are quite possibly to be inherited by children, which most likely are not members of the Order. It would be better if he chose to show membership in the traditional way.

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