For International Heraldry Day

Today being International Heraldry Day, I thought I might share again my coat of arms as drawn by Father Guy Selvester:

The description of the coat of arms is as follows:

The main tincture of the field is green, the armiger’s personal favorite. The main charge is the cross of Christ in the form known as raguly. This is a stylized depiction of the so-called rugged cross. That is to say, the cross as it actually is: an instrument of suffering and the tree of life. The cross is decorated with five red drops of blood at its center and extremities. These drops of blood allude to the five wounds of Christ. However, they are placed here as a reference to St. Francis of Assisi to whom the armiger is devoted. St. Francis bore the stigmata in his body while he lived here on Earth.

The basis of the armiger’s life and priestly ministry is the Paschal Mystery: the suffering, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. In the upper left is a silver (white) lamb’s head representing the Christ and in the lower right a gold (yellow) garb of wheat alluding to the bread of life, the Eucharist, in which Catholic Christians participate in the Paschal Mystery.

In place of the rather martial helmet, mantling and crest Fr. Zehnle’s arms are ensigned by the black ecclesiastical hat called a galero. The hats differ in color and number of tassels depending on the rank of the armiger. A priest’s hat is always black with one tassel pendant on either side of the shield. The motto, “Levate Crucem Sublime” is translated, “Lift High the Cross”.

The medal hanging below the shield represents my rank as a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre.