The Episcopacy and Personal Heraldry

The impaled arms of Bishop Peter Mews of Winchester
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Following my recent article regarding the personal coats of arms for members of the clergy below the rank of bishop in the Episcopal Church and Church of England, I am presenting a few examples of personal and impaled arms of bishops.  Click here to read my previous post regarding personal arms for the clergy in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition.  As the reader will see, I'm also playing around with various ribbons, legends, and mitre colors as I attempt to standardize diocesan arms.  Please bear with me! 

A few observations.  The arms I've rendered, interestingly enough, would be considered historical as these prelates have long since fulfilled their earthly ministry.  In my data of personal arms for bishops, I have but only one design for a present-day bishop in the Episcopal Church who bears these in addition to those of his see.  Perhaps the idea of having personal arms, much less displaying an impaled version, have become a relic of the past in the Episcopal Church.

Ensigning personal and/or impaled coats of arms of bishops with a mitre rather than a galero is an Anglican method used widely to this day.  While nothing prevents a bishop in the Episcopal Church from ensigning arms with the galero and pendant tassels, those arms would certainly stand out in a crowd of episcopal heraldry.

I liken this option to what can be seen in choir dress for bishops whose piety and theology is firmly rooted in the Anglo-Catholic tradition--while they might wear the rochet and chimere, a zuchetto finds its way into the ensemble.  In other words, without regulation for coat armor in the Episcopal Church, anything goes.  

The image above illustrates the impaled coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. Peter Mews (1619-1706) as Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of the Order of the Garter.  The arms of the See of Winchester are located in dexter (viewer's left) and Mew's in sinister (viewer's right).  The arrangement of corporate arms on the left (dexter) with personal arms located to the right (sinister) is the template for impaling ecclesiastical arms.  Translation to another diocese, thus, would only cause the dexter impalement to change as the prelate's personal arms typically do not.     

The blazon for the personal arms of Bishop Mews: Or, three bars Gules on a chief Azure three crosses crosslet Argent.  There is a version where the crosses crosslet in chief are rendered as gold (Or).  

Impaled arms of Bishop Thomas John Claggett
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 

The impaled coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. Thomas John Claggett (1743-1816) as seen on a memorial plaque inside Canterbury Cathedral.  Bishop Claggett was the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and the first to be ordained bishop on US soil.   

Impaled arms of Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Zieber (1984) shares an illustration of the impaled coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. Arthur Cleveland Coxe (1818-1896), Bishop of Western New York and cites the blazon as, "Argent, a chevron Sable between three cock's heads erased proper" (p. 209).  The good bishop had canting arms, an abstract pun upon the surname and seen through the "cock's heads."

Historical coat of arms for the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The historical arms of the Diocese of Western New York, as far as I know, are the only ecclesiastical arms to incorporate a rainbow in the design.  The arms of the see have since changed.  Zieber (1984) provides the blazon for the Diocese of Western New York as, "Sable, a rainbow proper between three crosses Argent" (p. 209).  

Personal arms of Bishop Charles Todd Quintard
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. Charles Todd Quintard (1824-1898) found in Zieber (1984), but without the chief of the Order of St. John (p. 210).  I omitted the chief so as to match the other arms without extra fussiness.

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Quintard was a medical doctor and Second Bishop of the Diocese of Tennessee.  He is commemorated at my alma mater, The University of the South.

Personal arms of Bishop Edward Makin Cross
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. Edward Makin Cross (1880-1965), Third Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane.  The arms are unusual but simple and clear at the same time.  It is interesting to see the pallium used as a charge, and my guess is that it was an attempt to show unification with the See of Canterbury.  I could be wrong.     

Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of Episcopal Diocese of Spokane have evolved into its present day design.  Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1871-1941) created both designs for Spokane.  Click here for more regarding the story of the arms of the Diocese of Spokane.

Personal arms of Bishop James Henry Darlington
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. James Henry Darlington (1856-1930), First Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Harrisburg, now Central Pennsylvania.  

Personal arms of Bishop Joseph Blount Cheshire
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. Joseph Blount Cheshire (1850-1932), Fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina (Zieber, 1984, 211).

Personal arms of Bishop William K. Crittenden
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal coat of arms of the Rt. Rev. William K. Crittenden (1908-2003), Fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Erie, were designed by the Very Rev. Frederic R. Murray (1910-1996) who served as Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral (Erie, PA) during Crittenden's episcopate. 

Coat of arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Erie/Northwestern Pennsylvania
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Diocese of Delaware (1911) credits the Rev. Henry Martyn Medary (1871-1962), as designer of the arms for the Episcopal Diocese of Erie, later renamed in 1981 as the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Works Cited

Diocese of Delaware (1911).  Journal of the 125th convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Delaware.  Mercantile Printing, 22.

Pryor, M. (2018 October 16).  Heraldry brings Sewanee a sense of “community” for residence halls. The Sewanee Purple, https://thesewaneepurple.org/2018/10/16/heraldry-brings-sewanee-a-sense-of-community-for-residence-halls/

Zieber, Eugene (1984).  Heraldry in America.  Crown Publishers.

Personal Arms of the Clergy: A Study

Impaled arms of the Rev. Canon Edward N. West with
the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

For the longest time, I've been delaying any sort of work requiring the impaling (or marshalling) of arms.  Why?  I've simply never been much of a fan.  The symmetry is ruined; charges get distorted in order to fit into smaller areas and the whole design just looks muddled in my mind.  Well, I'm beginning to evolve on this very subject after finishing a study on several, forcing my hand to practice and learn.

This post will focus on several impalements for clergy below the rank of bishop in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition.  I have another article in the works concerning personal arms of bishops

Simply put, the practice of impaling arms for clergy is a way to illustrate both the cleric's rank and office.  Furthermore, the action of impaling two separate coats of arms shows a marriage of sorts--the cleric is "married" in a way to her or his cure.  

The galero, cords, and tassels (external ornaments) provide the viewer with the cleric's rank denoted by the color and number of tassels surrounding the escutcheon.  The office, more abstractly speaking, can be understood by the dexter (viewer's left) impalement of the arms themselves.  While the rank and office may change over time and reflected by different external ornaments, the personal arms in sinister (viewer's right) and the armiger's motto do not.    

Personal arms of the Rev. Canon Edward N. West
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Take, for example, the arms of the Rev. Canon Edward N. West (1909-1990) who served as Canon Sacrist, and had a stint as sub-dean, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.  As a canon, West was permitted to display three red tassels illustrating his rank.  Moreover, I believe Canon West held six doctoral degrees (earned and honorary), and is shown with red skein in the cords pendant from the galero.

For illustrative purposes only, purple cords reflecting
the rank of dean with red skein for the D.D. degree
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Finally, impaling the canon's arms with those of the cathedral he serves identifies the office.  If West was the dean of the cathedral, his cords would be purple with red skein for the D.D. degree.

Impaled arms of the Rev. Canon John G.B. Andrew, OBE with St. Thomas Church
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal arms of the Rev. Canon John G.B. Andrew, OBE (1931-2014) impaled with those of his parish, St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City, showing the same arrangement of three red tassels for a canon, but on a black and white cord based on one artifact I found.  Andrew was an honorary canon and held an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree--the armiger decides whether or not to show the red skein for the D.D. which in the US is an honorary degree.

Personal arms of the Rev. Canon John G.B. Andrew, OBE
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The black and white cords identify the armiger as a priest in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition.  Both Andrew's personal arms and those of St. Thomas Church were devised by the College of Arms (Andrew's was a grant of arms). 

Impaled arms of the Rev. Alfred Hope Patten with the College of Guardians
of the Holy House of Walsingham
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The impaled arms of the Rev. Alfred Hope Patten (1885-1958) are a bit unique.  Father Hope is commemorated as the restorer of the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in England.  While he was a priest in the Church of England, Father Hope was also the administrator of the Shrine and preferred two tassels indicating the rank of a dean in the Roman Catholic tradition.  

Click here to learn more about the arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham.

Impaling Father Hope's arms with those of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham shows his relationship as head--or dean--of the college.  Fitting and appropriate.  

Arms of the Rev. Alfred Hope Patten
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In fairness to Father Hope, the schedule and use of ecclesiastical hats for clergy was not codified by the College of Arms until 1976.  Click here to see those renderings from the College of Arms.

Impaled arms of the Rev. Garron Daniels, OCS with those of Episcopal Parish of Alton
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I had the honor of designing both the personal arms of the Rev. Garron Daniels, OCS, Rector of the Episcopal Parish of Alton, and his parish.  As a priest, one tassel is pendant from the galero along with a cord of black and white indicating a presbyter in the Episcopal Church.

Click here to learn more about the arms for the Episcopal Parish of Alton.

Personal arms of the Rev. Garron Daniels, OCS
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Father Garron's arms are blazoned:

Arms: Argent, on a fess Sable two Mayflowers (epigaea repens) Argent barbed Vert charged with a fleur-de-lis Azure debruised by a pile Azure thereon a dove descending Argent haloed Or;

Motto: Dum Spiro Spero, “while I breathe, I hope.”

To help clearly illustrate all these differences, I've created a schedule which is more appropriate for use in the Episcopal Church.

Illustration of rank most appropriate for use in the Episcopal Church
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I'm beginning to get the hang of all this marshalling business, practice certainly helps.  

Arms of Christ Church Philadelphia

Arms of Christ Church (Episcopal) in Philadelphia, PA
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of Christ Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are resplendent and richly identify this special parish community.  I recently found these arms as I continue my personal quest to discover sound heraldry in the Episcopal Church--I wanted to share right away.  To read other articles in the Recent Finds Series, click on the corresponding label at the end of the post.

According to Gough (1995), the parish arms were designed in the late 1950s by Dr. Harold Bowditch (1883-1964), a prominent member of the New England Committee on Heraldry.

Arms of Christ Church, Philadelphia
Source: Gough (1995), pg 372

The arms as illustrated above from Gough (1995) give us a lot of information for constructing a blazon; however, the tinctures for the field and mitre are but a guess at this point sans hatching.

We do learn a bit regarding Bowditch's rationale: the crossed swords reference the Diocese of London, three plates on a black fess for the founder of Pennsylvania William Penn (1644-1718), and the mitre for Bishop William White (1748-1836), first bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania.

Bowditch clearly followed the framework for corporate heraldry Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) used consistently throughout his heraldic work.  In the arms of Christ Church, we have geographical identification (Penn) tied together with historical references for both colonial (London) and diocese (White), and designed in the simplest form possible.  Bingo!

Azure or Gules for the field?
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I chose red for the field based on the Diocese of London reference; however, most arms dedicated to Christ Church in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition use blue owing to the arms of Canterbury Cathedral.

My blazon for the arms of Christ Church, Philadelphia:  Gules, two swords in saltire Argent hilt and pommel Or ensigned by a miter Proper debruised by a fess Sable thereon three plates.

The color blue works just as well.  I'll update this with any new information.  

WORKS CITED

Gough, Deborah M. (1995). Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation's Church in a Changing City. University of Pennsylvania Press, pg 372.

Recent Finds Special Edition: The Arms of Christ Church Cathedral

Arms of Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

It began as a flag.  A recent search online yielded the most exciting image, one I've yet to encounter--a parish flag.  Usually, it's the other way around for me, translating a coat of arms into a flag.  Not this time.  So the Recent Finds Series now adds another special edition post highlighting this hidden gem.  To read other articles in the series, click on the corresponding label at the end.  

The new flag of what was then Christ Church parish (now cathedral) was unveiled in the Spring of 1921 and illustrated in The Living Church.  

The Parish Flag of Christ Church
Image source: The Living Church (1921 May 21), 91

Even more exciting, at least to me, the article names the designer along with a brief rationale.  Did I mention the hatching too?  Huzzah!  I cannot express how thankful I was to have all this data in one place.  Again, most unusual.

The Rev. Henry Martyn Medary (1871-1962), an Episcopal priest in Pennsylvania was responsible for creating this gorgeous ensign for Christ Church.  The crispness of Medary's design is equal to his rationale:

"Its field of gold corresponds with the field of the arms of Wisconsin. A large red cross cut through the field symbolizes the name of the parish, Christ Church.  Four 'fountains' (discs with white and blue waves) suggest the rivers on which Eau Claire is situated, and also the meaning of the word, 'Wisconsin,' which is supposed to stand for 'wild rushing channel.'

"In the center of the cross a gold fleur-de-lis indicates the early French settlers of the state. Through the arms of the cross run two 'pales raguly,' heraldic symbols for timber, suggesting the lumber industry upon which this portion of Wisconsin grew up" (The Living Church, 21 May 1921, 91).

The blazon I offer for the arms of Christ Church Cathedral in Eau Claire, WI:  Or, between two pales raguly Vert debruised in fess a cross throughout Gules thereon a fleur-de-lis of the field between four fountains.  

I turned to Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's (1872-1941) blazon constructed for the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy as my guide.  Click here to learn more about the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy.  

Armorial flag and coat of arms of Christ Church Cathedral in Eau Claire, WI
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I wonder if Medary was closely following la Rose's work?  I suspect so, or at least Medary was a student of heraldry.  I've yet to encounter another designer's work produced at la Rose's level this early in the 20th century.  Whenever I would discover a coat of arms dated between 1910-1940 without attribution for its designer, I would proudly say, "no one else [except la Rose] was capable of this work at such-and-such a time in the US."  Thanks to Medary's gift of ecclesiastical heraldry in 1921, I no longer speak those words.

Medary was a member of the Diocese of Pennsylvania's committee responsible for proposing a seal and coat of arms back in 1902-1904.  Since la Rose designed the Diocese of Pennsylvania's arms, Medary would be quite familiar with his work.  Nonetheless, Medary would continue to make several heraldic contributions to advance sound heraldry in the Episcopal Church. 

Carpeting behind the main altar inside Christ Church Cathedral, Eau Claire, WI
Image source:  Cathedral Facebook page

My search for evidence to see if these arms are presently used produced one artifact--and I had to squint in order to catch it too.

On a carpet behind the cathedral's main altar is an embroidered image of the coat of arms.  The image of the arms on the carpet is the only rendering I could find online.  Perhaps the cathedral community is unaware of their arms so beautifully arranged and published 104 years ago?  Surely not!

The armorial flags of the Episcopal Church and Christ Church Cathedral in saltire
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I believe this may be the first instance these arms have been digitally rendered in full color.  Simply lovely. 

Works Cited

The Living Church. (1921 May 21). A parish flag. The Living Church, 65(3), 91.

Recent Finds Series: St. Paul's Church By-The-Lake

Arms of St. Paul's Church By-The-Lake (Episcopal) in Chicago
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

A recent discovery online and worthy of sharing, the coat of arms of St. Paul's Church By-The-Lake in Chicago, Illinois.  In my ongoing challenge to seek and find heraldry in the Episcopal Church to better understand how the American heraldic tradition has been shaped, as well as to prove this ancient art is alive and thriving in the US today, the arms of St. Paul's Church By-The-Lake came as a pleasant surprise.

To read other articles in the Recent Finds Series, click on the label at the end of the post.

One immediate observation was the parish arms completely avoid any use of the attributed arms to Saint Paul.  The seemingly use of the reverse pall cross to show unification with the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago is another feature rarely seen in parish arms.  In this article, I'll cover both the arms of the parish and those of the diocese as well.  

Side by Side Comparison:  Arms of the Diocese of Chicago and St. Paul's Church By-The-Lake
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The parish arms make effective use of geographical identification using barry wavy in base for what I could only see as a reference for Lake Michigan.  The sword provides the only reference to Saint Paul with stark simplicity.  The parish arms are simple and clear; heraldry at its best.  As of now, I do not know who designed the arms for the parish.  Hopefully, we can learn in time.  

Current logo in use by the parish
Image source: Parish Facebook page

Several renderings of the parish arms have 1) the sword with hilt to chief/point to base, and 2) the field behind the sword is a lighter blue than the barry wavy in base, likely for contrast.  The current logo seen above omits the barry wavy altogether.  

Without a blazon, I used artistic license for simple corrections to match carvings of the arms found in the sanctuary.  To me, the carvings appear correctly rendered.

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago (pre-1919)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago were designed by Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942) and adopted by the see in 1904 (Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, 1904, 29-31).  

La Rose's proposed revision
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Cram's heraldic partner, Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) would later critique the design in Cram's own journal, Christian Art.  La Rose (1907) writes:

"Chicago. Gules, on a pairle reversed azure fimbriated argent, between three crosses-crosslet of the last, as many fleurs-de-lis, the two inferior ones chevronways, or; on an inescutcheon or a phoenix gules.

"This shield - a beautifully balanced design seems to me a trifle too elaborate. Furthermore, because of the position of the inescutcheon, it is under suspicion of being a compound coat. By raising the inescutcheon in chief one may, to be sure, destroy some of the beauty of the composition, but the shield will become unassailable on the score of heraldic logic and grammar, which is not quite the case at present. The seal of the diocese has three objectionable features among the external ornaments of the shield. It places a motto upon the fanons of the mitre, a procedure for which I can find no heraldic precedent (furthermore, no bishop ever went about with a motto hanging down his back, attached to his pontifical head- gear) . It shows a doubly warded key a corrupted form for two keys.  And it displays a sword, to which, as an external ornament, neither diocese nor bishop has the least right. 

"I know that as the cathedral is dedicated to SS . Peter and Paul, it was thought that in this way the seal might honour both of these saints.  But a sword used as an external ornament to episcopal arms has, heraldically, nothing whatever to do with St. Paul, but denotes solely that the bishop possesses the feudal jus gladii, a right which the bishops of Chicago do not possess. The sword should be removed from the seal as an impropriety. Taken in conjunction with the inescutcheon as at present placed, it would seem to indicate that the bishop, in addition to his episcopal state, sets up to be also mayor or high sheriff of Chicago" (66-67).

Note the blazon cited above is la Rose's interpretation and not official.   

Cram did not relent and his design remained.  I wonder just what kind of friendship these two had, after all they did a lot of work together over the years.  Perhaps Cram chalked it up as la Rose simply being himself.  A good friend, I gather, knows the difference.

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The blazon for the arms of diocese, however, were never officially recorded when the see adopted arms in 1904.  Any heraldry enthusiast knows that the blazon is of paramount importance.  Some 15 years later, the question of the diocese's blazon would finally be settled.

"Unfortunately, the 'blazoning' of the seal was not recorded at the time [1904 convention], and in order that there may be no doubt as to its proper coloring, the remaining members of the committee ask to have the correct description, as given by Mr. Cram, entered in the Journal.

"Blazoning of the Seal:--Arms: On a shield, gules voided argent, between three crosses crosslet, argent, a pall reversed, azure, voided argent, bearing three fleurs-de-lis or.  On an inescutcheon, argent, a phoenix rising from the flames, gules" (Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, 1919, 61). 

As far as I can tell, the codified blazon contains two major changes:  1) the addition of a silver outline within the shield, and 2) changing the metal on the inescutcheon from gold to silver.  Frankly, silver works much better with the inescutcheon.  I cannot, however, explain the silver outline or its importance.

Chicago and the backstory of all her heraldry forever maintains a prominent place in the American heraldic tradition.

To learn about the saga surrounding the arms of the University of Chicago, click here.   Don't forget the Catholics!  The story of the Archdiocese of Chicago's arms and its foundations can be found here.

Works Cited

Episcopal Diocese of Chicago (1904).  Journal of the proceedings of the sixty-seventh annual convention of the Church in Chicago.  Diocese of Chicago, 29-31.

Episcopal Diocese of Chicago (1919).  Journal of the proceedings of the eighty-second annual convention of the Church in the Diocese Chicago.  Diocese of Chicago.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1907).  Ecclesiastical heraldry in America, II. Diocesan arms.  Christian Art, 2(2).

If The Mitre Fits

The arms of The Rt. Rev. Peter Eaton, Bishop of Southeast Florida
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I'm rolling out a new mitre as an external ornament for arms of dioceses and bishops.  With a distinctive Anglican aroma, I figured it was time to try and customize my own version to use.  Above are the personal coat of arms of The Rt. Rev. Peter Eaton, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida, featuring the new episcopal hardware.  Earlier this past winter, I was blessed to attend mass at Sewanee celebrated by Bishop Eaton who is simply an outstanding liturgist and pastor.  So, the good bishop was on my mind.

The arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The mitre traditionally used to ensign such ecclesiastical arms is the mitra preciosa, adorned with jewels and other intricate details.  Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) made prolific use of the mitra preciosa, which he modeled on those found in the 1515 roll of peers at the College of Arms in London.  His version can be seen below.

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Often incorrectly attributed, the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany were designed by la Rose and adopted by the diocese in 1931 (The Living Church, 29 August 1931, 603).  Even today, the diocese still illustrates its coat of arms capped with la Rose's version of the mitra preciosa.  He designed the arms for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany as well--the city was home to the la Rose Family. 

I wanted the new mitre to have a 3D effect whereby the hat is turned slightly towards one side, giving the viewer a fuller glimpse of the front and back.  Additionally, I wanted the infulae, or lappets, to appear as unfolding with their creases in tacked and flanking both sides of the escutcheon.  I opted to add a dark red trim to help provide visual contrast.  I will admit that the colors clash depending on the arms they ensign.  The clashing problem will need to wait for now.

  

The arms of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Since I was recently working on a project and needed to render the arms of the Diocese of West Virginia, I show them here topped with the new mitre.  I am conflicted about West Virginia's arms and truly wish something more unique could be created.  It is my home after all. 

Below are a few select examples.

The arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I think the mitre looks perfect on the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast.  The diocese's coat of arms were designed by Dr. J. Waring McCrady (b. 1938) and adopted in 1971.

The arms of The Rt. Rev. William K. Crittenden
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal coat of arms of The Rt. Rev. William K. Crittenden (1908-2003), Fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Erie, were designed by The Very Rev. Frederic R. Murray (1910-1996) who served as Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral during Crittenden's episcopate in Erie.  Always good to design arms for your boss.

The arms of the Province of Canterbury, Church of England
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of the Episcopal Church
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Playing with the trim color to solve my color clash issue, and perhaps this scheme of going darker with gold will work.  Knowing myself, I'll likely continue to tweak and refine things over time.

Works Cited

The Living Church (29 August 1931).  Heraldic arms for the Diocese of Albany.  The Living Church, 85(18), 603.   

Recent Finds Special Edition: The Arms of Christ Church

The coat of arms of Christ Church (Episcopal) in Alto, Tennessee
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I saw the most unusual post recently via Facebook's Ecclesiastical Heraldry group immediately catching my attention.  While Roman Catholic heraldry usually dominates group discussion, I tend to perk up whenever the focus shifts to Episcopal Church heraldry.  This special posting began as a mystery, but one wrapped as a gift to me from the heraldic gods.

Based on data in my ongoing project collecting both US scholastic and heraldry from the Episcopal Church, I offer a few data-informed insights to help us understand the design rationale and identify the designer of the arms for Christ Church (Episcopal) in Alto, TN.

Abstract Clues

Needlepoint cushion depicting the arms of Christ Church Alto, TN
Image source:  Facebook Ecclesiastical Heraldry Group 

The cleric posting his query is resident in the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee and was seeking insight regarding a coat of arms for a parish in his diocese which closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Immediately, wheels began turning and I started thinking critically about this unusual design for a parish coat of arms in the Episcopal Church.  I assert that Dr. J. Waring McCrady (b.1938) from The University of the South designed the arms for Christ Church in Alto during the late 20th century.

Allow me to cite my data. 

Clue #1 - Location

Christ Church located in Alto, Tennessee
Image Source:  Parish Facebook page

I knew somewhere in my past that I was familiar with the parish in question.  I've heard the name many times.

Christ Church located in Alto, Tennessee lies at the base of the Holy Mountain where the Domain of my alma mater Sewanee: The University of the South dominates the landscape.  The University and its School of Theology are but a stone's throw from where Christ Church is located.  Also, both university and parish are situated within the bounds of the Diocese of Tennessee.  When I was a seminarian at Sewanee, I recall many classmates attending Christ Church which frequently was supplied by ordained faculty members from the School of Theology.  

It would not be out of the question for Dr. McCrady to design arms for a nearby parish.  However, I have not seen or discovered any parish arms designed by the French professor and this fact did give me pause when attributing him as the designer.  

Note the bell tower in the photograph above which likely explains the bell in the base of the parish arms.

Yet, we know McCrady designed corporate arms for others outside of the university due to his status as the former chair of the Advisory Committee on Heraldry.  General Convention (1982) notes that the General Convention in 1982 gave the Presiding Bishop authorization to create this new advisory group concerning matters of church heraldry; however Wright (2005) reveals the committee met only once and without minutes or records from the discussion.

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

One example of McCrady's work outside of Sewanee can be found in the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, adopted by the see in 1971.

McCrady's blazon for the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast: "Barry wavy of seven Or and Azure, an anchor in pale Gules; on a chief of the third a dove descending Proper between two saltires couped of the first" (Diocese of Central Gulf Coast, n.d.). 

Clue #2 - The Pale

Quilted processional banner of arms of Christ Church Alto, TN
Image Source:  Facebook Ecclesiastical Heraldry Group

The Facebook post contained two images of the parish coat of arms--a needlepoint cushion and a quilted processional banner.  When I began comparing the two images, I noticed that the pale on the banner was not entirely in gold which seemed rather odd and out of place.  

Below is my rendering of how the processional banner should appear if my guess regarding a solid gold pale is correct.  I continue to follow Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's (1872-1941) design methods for processional banners, which I call processional banners of arms.  Click here to see more examples of la Rose's design method for processional banners.

Processional banner of arms, Christ Church in Alto, TN
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Thinking more about what I was seeing on the needlepoint cushion led me to believe that the banner's rendering must have been the result of an artistic error.  There would be no need to counterchange the chevron as seen on the quilted banner.  The cushion seemed correct in my mind, and immediately raised questions about the third clue staring me in the face.

Clue #3 - Counterchanging 

L-R: Arms of The University of the South, Christ Church Alto, TN, and The School of Theology
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

When tertiary charges, or elements, of the same metal or color are placed over an ordinary, the designer has to make a decision in order to avoid violating the rule of tincture.  In other words, metal cannot be placed upon another metal and the same goes for colors.  

Why?  Simple.  

If you're standing on a 13th century European battlefield as a knight covered in metal armor from head to toe, those abstract designs painted on shields offer the only identification of friend or foe.  Gold and silver might not contrast enough on a shield, for example, and failure to notice the difference could mean life or death.  Therefore, we avoid using color on color and metal on metal even in the 21st century.

In preparation for the University of the South's 125th anniversary celebration, McCrady's designs for new arms identifying the university, its undergraduate college, and the seminary were adopted in 1983.  Click here to read my article on the heraldry of the University of the South.  His design work prominently featured the newly created Sewanee tressure unifying all three coats of arms.  

McCrady (1983) offers the following blazons for the arms of the University of the South and its School of Theology:

"Blazon for the arms of The University of the South:  Purpure, a cross pall Or overall a double tressure long-crossed and counter long-crossed counterchanged (known as the Sewanee tressure).

"Blazon for the arms of The School of Theology, University of the South:  Gules on a cross Or surmounted by a Sewanee tressure counter-changed a crossed fleam Sable" (30).

As seen in the illustration above, when the Sewanee tressure is overlaid upon the ordinary in the arms of the university and the seminary, McCrady counterchanges the colors to avoid violating the rule of tincture.  It is a bit decadent, I believe, and I can only recall McCrady employing this technique within both US scholastic and Episcopal Church heraldry.  I won't lie when I say it took weeks to figure out how to digitally create this counterchanged Sewanee tressure in Adobe Illustrator.  

Thanks be to God for clipping masks...   

The counterchanged chevron and corresponding cross crosslets fitchy hightened my suspicion of a McCrady design for a parish.  I felt as though I was on the verge of actually seeing one and having data supporting my theory.

One final clue helped put matters to rest regarding the parish arms.

Clue #4 - Corporate Unification

The coat of arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

McCrady's designs for the University of the South continue a proud, albeit small, tradition in American heraldry of illustrating unification in corporate arms.  Two early examples of unification in arms can be found for both Episcopal Church and US scholastic heraldry in the early 20th century.

The first example of this phenomenon used in Episcopal Church heraldry was la Rose's design work for the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy and its cathedral.  Click here to learn more about la Rose and the arms of the Diocese of Quincy and the Cathedral of St. John.

US scholastic heraldry produced its first example to illustrate unification not long after la Rose's work in Quincy, seen on the campus of Kenyon College in Ohio.  Click here to learn about The Rev. Canon Watson's designs for Kenyon College and its seminary.

A garb of wheat in heraldry

The idea of abstractly creating a charge or design element that could be used to show unification between the corporate sole and its foundation(s) was important to McCrady.  The sprigs of wheat in the arms of Christ Church likely hold dual references--geographical and unification.  Let me explain.

Arms of Christ Church (Episcopal) in Alto, TN
Rendered by Chad Krouse

The best corporate heraldry, in my opinion, follows a carefully constructed framework producing bespoke identification for the organizational bearer of those arms.  Geographical location, topographical features, saintly dedication, and even local history provide important building blocks when designing corporate coats of arms.  

The seal of the State of Tennessee, as well as the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee, feature the garb of wheat within their design.  I believe McCrady used these sprigs of wheat in the arms of Christ Church Alto to illustrate 1) the rural/agricultural landscape surrounding the parish, and 2) identify it as a parish church in the State and Diocese of Tennessee.   

Following McCrady's blazon he constructed for the arms of the University of the South, I offer the following:

Blazon for the arms of Christ Church Episcopal in Alto, TN:  Vert, on a pale Or surmounted by a chevron Argent counterchanged Sable and charged with three cross crosslets fitchy counterchanged a bell in base of the field between two sprigs of wheat Or.

What a gift to discover a parish coat of arms by McCrady illustrating parish unification with its diocese.  So far, this new find represents a first to illustrate such unification and clearly got me excited.  Kindly let me know your thoughts.  

Works Cited

Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast (n.d.).  Our Seal.  Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast.  https://www.diocgc.org/about-us

General Convention (1982).  Journal of the 67th General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church.  Seabury Professional Services.

McCrady, J. W. (1983).  After 125 years completing the university's heraldry. The Sewanee News, 49(1), 29-30.

Wright, J.R. (2005 May 26).  Heraldry of the American Episcopal Church [Lecture summary].  New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.  https://silo.tips/download/heraldry-of-the-american-episcopal-church#modals