A New Heraldic Seal for the Franciscans in Assisi

We have previously mentioned the heraldry work of Mr Marco Foppoli, such as this piece which he designed during the vacancy of the Holy See after Pope Benedict’s resignation went into effect, featuring the arms of Cardinal Bertone, the Chamberlain of the Apostolic See.

He has recently produced a design which the General Custody of the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi has accepted as its new seal. Officially adopted on October 4th, the feast of St Francis, the design was inspired by a 14th-century model from the Treasury Museum of the Basilica. The actual engraving was done by the German engraver Udo Stenger.

You can see more of Mr Foppoli’s work on his website and on his facebook page, such as this coat of arms for the same General Custody.

A System of Heraldry for the Anglican Ordinariates

My first substantive article for The Anglo-Catholic, a website dedicated to the nascent Ordinariates, is being published today. You can read it here. It is a treatment of how the Ordinariates might preserve a number of Anglican heraldic traditions (some of which are themselves strongly reminiscent of medieval heraldic custom) within the larger Roman Catholic system, and, while by no means the last word on the subject, should be intended to get this very interesting discussion going. Ecclesiastical heraldry is a subject even many liturgically-minded Catholics do not understand well, which is a pity, as like church art and architecture it has preserved the art of thinking symbolically, something almost wholly lost to most people today, and a habit necessary to the cultivation of the Christian imagination. The Ordinariates, in this area, as in so many others, has the potential to be rich in tradition while at the same time forging ahead to cover new and unexpected ground. I look forward to further discussion and comments on the subject, here or over at The Anglo-Catholic.