Seals for Two Episcopal Church Religious Communities

Concept piece and not official, an armorial seal of the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Religious communities, such as priories and abbeys, were among the earliest medieval corporate bodies to adopt and use coats of arms as seals for the most practical of reasons.  By its very nature, a seal is an official stamp of approval, and when affixed to a document, physically authenticates its origin while providing assurance of legitimacy.  

Seals are not coats of arms and vice versa, and the American lexicon has failed to distinguish the two.  A crest, for that matter, is perhaps the most widespread vagaried term meant to encompass all things heraldry.  

Seals do not have color, just simple black and white lines originating from its application--pressing a device with the seal (a signet ring would be one example) into wax generating an impression.  Additionally, seals should never be used as decorative elements or logos and reserved solely for its created purpose of authentication, whereas coats of arms can serve as dignified emblems suitable for decoration.  As such, corporate bodies usually have both a seal and a coat of arms, with each designated for specific use.  

Forming the vesica piscis from two circles 

The seals I'm presenting in this article contain color for ease of identification.  I've also removed certain elements from the seal in several concept pieces below to avoid using the seal as a decoration.

In an era when most outside of the nobility and clergy could not read or write, a seal impression made in wax readily identified itself as genuine requiring little skill or imagination.  Many seals contain the coat of arms of the owner and arranged in circular or vesical designs.  There are plenty of seals without arms in the design and are no less official than those heraldic ones.  There is no right or wrong design.  There are, however, traditions one can follow when constructing a new seal.

The medieval vesica piscis style is the dominant shape used within the Anglican tradition and widely seen in Episcopal Church heraldry.  The illustration above shows how this shape is created from two circles.    

Concept piece and example of la Rose's preferred seal design
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 

Circular shaped seals work equally well.  Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) created a gothic quatrefoil seal to contain the arms of the corporate body.  I've illustrated a concept piece based on la Rose's gothic design for the Medieval Academy of America.

The Brotherhood of St. Gregory (BSG)

Concept piece and not official, an armorial flag of the Brotherhood of St. Gregory
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Founded in 1969 by Richard Thomas Biernacki, BSG, the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory (BSG) is a dispersed religious community of men in the Episcopal Church.  Gregorians can be found engaging all sorts of ministries both in the church and the world.  Recently, the community elected its second Minister General as chief shepherd who happens to be a well respected and dear friend.  His election inspired me to learn more about BSG's armorial insignia and render various assets for the community.

Click here to visit the official website of the Brotherhood of St. Gregory.

As I worked to digitally recreate BSG's arms and seal in vector, I began to see my own ministry develop and become clearer to me.  How can I use what I'm learning as a means to support and give back to others?  Answering that question was easy; explaining that ministry to a priest via email whom I don't know and attached a suite of digital files in vector of the parish coat of arms is a bit more difficult.

Concept piece and not official, a processional banner of the Brotherhood of St. Gregory
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

What is exactly is this ministry?  I am inspired to find, recreate, and deliver new images of coats of arms to those communities whose images are pixelated or poorly done.  Knowing that most parish vestries would not wish to spend money commissioning a professional heraldic artist--budgets are more than tight these days--I am able to assist without remuneration.  So far, I've had several positive experiences helping and look forward to more.

Concept piece and not official, cross with BSG design
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Gregorian seal was designed by the Rev. Canon Edward Nason West, OBE, Th.D., Litt.D., Sub-Prelate St.J. (1909-1990) and based on the attributed arms of Pope St. Gregory the Great.

Attributed arms of St. Gregory the Great
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. Gregory's attributed arms are blazoned: Or, three bendlets Gules on a chief of the field two lions counter-rampant Gules supporting a torteau inscribed IHS.  West changed the metal from gold to silver and added an additional red bendlet for suitable differencing.  

Comparison between arms and shield used within the community's seal
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The shield West created within the BSG seal is different from the coat of arms and incorporates an inscribed cross in the seal.  The cross contains the community's motto along with something else that took me a bit to figure out.  

Monogram of the Holy Name

West used a version of the monogram of the Holy Name for the "s" in soli deo gloria.  Since the base image I was working from was a tad old and slightly blurry, it was difficult to make out exactly what those three lines were on the letter s.  

Concept piece and not official
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

One concept piece I really like is what I call the arms of BSG's Minister General.  The Minister General is not mitered like a Benedictine abbot, but does carry a simple wooden crozier reflecting his service as shepherd of the community.  I thought to place a pastoral staff in pale behind the arms as a way to identify the office.  

Arms of St. Norbert's Abbey in De Pere, WI
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The concept of using a crozier as an external ornament is widely used by Roman Catholic religious communities.  The coat of arms for St. Norbert's Abbey, for example, uses a crozier.  Click here to learn more about the coat of arms of St. Norbert's Abbey.

Blazon for the Coat of Arms of the Brotherhood of St. Gregory

Blazon: Argent, four bendlets Gules on a chief of the field two lions counter-rampant Gules supporting a plate inscribed IHS Gules;

Motto: Soli Deo Gloria, Latin for “to God alone be the glory.”

The Community of St. Mary (CSM)

Concept piece and not official, a seal for the Community of St. Mary
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Not far from the campus of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, is the convent of the Community of St. Mary (CSM), Southern Province.  The Sisters of St. Mary began their ministry as a Benedictine religious order for women in 1865, and continue their work to this day.  In addition to the convent, a lovely retreat center is located on the property offering year round programs.  During my time as seminarian, I spent many hours in silent retreat at St. Mary's and cherish those memories of reflection and solitude.  

Click here to visit the official website of the Community of St. Mary, Southern Province.

Concept piece and not official, flag designs for CSM
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Recently, the sisters' posted an image of an impaled coat of arms for a bishop in the Episcopal Church who is a long-time associate of the community.  I was curious to learn more about these arms and my hunt for the retired bishop's email address proved fruitless.  I had a thought to contact the convent and see if they would connect me with the prelate.  My detailed email of introduction was indeed forwarded, and within a few days I was on the phone interviewing the bishop regarding his personal coat of arms.  

Concept piece and not official, cross with CSM design
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

My highly engaging conversation with the retired bishop answered several of my questions, and I ended the call feeling deep gratitude for this new resource and the sisters who made it all possible.  How should I thank the sisters for their kind help?  A handwritten thank you note would not do, I thought.  Creating new digital emblazonments of the community's seal seemed more appropriate.  Voila.

Concept piece and not official, processional banner design for CSM
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Community of St. Mary does not have a coat of arms, but rather uses a vesica-shaped seal as their primary image for identification.  The central image within the seal is an Easter lily with three leaves--this image can be found in a stained glass window at St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Memphis, TN.  Since the lily used in the official seal is not heraldic by design, I wanted to create a heraldic version without losing any symbolism.  The flowering lily is a nice reference for both the Blessed Virgin Mary as well as resurrection, and the three leaves most likely refer to the Trinity.  All together a simple and clear symbol representing the community.  

Concept piece and not official, up close view of flag design for CSM
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I really like the two flag designs for CSM, using the base of the seal without actually using the seal itself.  Many US municipal flags, on the other hand, simply use their official seals on a flag creating generic identity.   By adding a cotise in different metals to the flag (gold and silver/white) is one way to distinguish between the northern and southern provinces of the community.  The same design scheme can be applied to a processional banner as well. 

The Brotherhood of St. Gregory and the Community of St. Mary represent the heart and soul of the Episcopal Church, offering devoted lives of ministry and prayer for the Body of Christ.  The symbolic identities of these two communities are reflected in their seals which embody not only their charism and gifts but their active presence in our world today.  Thanks be to God!

Mace & Crozier: Cathedral Heraldry in The Episcopal Church

Coat of arms of Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal), Hartford, CT
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In the Episcopal Church, external ornaments for diocesan and cathedral coats of arms differ for identification.  For bishops and dioceses, the key and crozier are placed behind the escutcheon in saltire, while a mace and crozier are arranged accordingly for a cathedral's coat of arms.  Both, however, are ensigned with the bishop's mitre with infulae fringed and draped to the sides of the shield.

External ornaments for an Episcopal diocese and cathedral
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

External ornaments in ecclesiastical heraldry add touches of dignity while also providing additional identification of the arms themselves. 

During the late 1960s, Col. Harry D. Temple (1911-2004) was commissioned by the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC to render arms for ornamentation of the various cathedrals in The Episcopal Church.  As I understand it, many of those cathedrals did not bear coats of arms and Temple successfully designed around 30 or so cathedral arms for decoration.  

As a retired US Army Colonel, Temple likely appreciated design uniformity and widely used the mace, crozier, and mitre as external ornaments in his new designs for cathedral arms.  These additions help identify the cathedral as such with a militaristic flair.  Not every designer would follow suit.

Coat of arms of Vergers in the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Why a mace?  Symbolically, its a sign of authority and mimics the virge or verge, carried by vergers.  The mace would be used by a minister to clear a pathway for the procession.  The ministry of a verger is now found widely across the Episcopal Church.  Click here to learn more about the Verger's Guild in the Episcopal Church.

Arms of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Trenton, NJ
Designed by Col. Harry D. Temple
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Temple would go a step further with his cathedral template by creating a systematic method for charging the cathedral's mace with a symbol for additional identification.  De Kay (1993) cites the lion passant found on the mace in Temple's design for Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton is a reference to the arms of the State of New Jersey (110).  The charge is a nice reference for Trinity and an example of how Temple's method was used.

Examples from Temple's designs with charges on cathedral maces
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In addition to the charges on the mace, Temple sometimes varied the shape and style of the cross itself adorning the top of the mace giving harmony to the whole design.

The Episcopal Church does not regulate heraldry or its use for cathedrals; however, a few attempts to wrangle in the wild west of Episcopal coat armour have been tried over the years.

The Advisory Committee on Heraldry, created during the 1982 General Convention, was a significant move attempting to standardize heraldic practice with consistency across the Church.  Packed with experts from the field at that time, the Advisory Committee met only once and developed a possible framework guiding heraldry for the church.  Temple was one of those heraldic experts appointed to serve.  One recommendation from the committee noted that cathedrals should not bear arms, but simply use those of the diocese.  The point seems rather moot as many cathedrals had arms by the 1980s thanks in part to Temple's commission with the National Cathedral.  Wright (2005) further notes the advisory committee agreed that the only "mandatory ornament exterior to an episcopal coat of arms should be the mitre, of which the infulae are essential."  

The advisory committee, Wright (2005) stated, did not produce a public report or distribute minutes from its only meeting.  I remain curious to know Temple's thoughts on suppressing arms for cathedrals given his portfolio of work in this area.  We may never know.

Arms of St. Michael's Episcopal Cathedral, Boise, ID
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The forerunner designing arms for cathedrals in the Episcopal Church was none other than Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941).  His first known cathedral design was created for the Cathedral of St. John for the Diocese of Quincy between 1905-1906.  Click here to learn more about la Rose's design for the cathedral and arms for the Diocese of Quincy itself.  The Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore and Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford are two designs for cathedral arms by la Rose included in this article.  I cannot find any examples of la Rose using external ornaments in the arms for those two aforementioned cathedrals.  However, I do believe we see an example of la Rose using the key and crozier as external ornaments in the arms of St. Michael's Episcopal Cathedral in Boise seen above.  One illustration of the arms found in de Kay (1993) shows a key and crozier in saltire behind St. Michael's coat of arms.  The designer is not attributed in de Kay's analysis and I believe la Rose designed these arms.  As research continues, it might be possible to learn why la Rose used the key rather than a mace; perhaps he was influenced by published rolls for English sees and cathedrals. 

Arms of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, San Jose, CA
Designed by the Rev. Canon Eckford J. de Kay
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Rev. Canon Eckford J. de Kay (1923-2012), a former cathedral dean and military man, continued Temple's use of the mace and crozier in his designs for cathedrals.  De Kay also employed Temple's method of charging the mace with an additional symbol for identification.  In the arms of Trinity Cathedral in San Jose, de Kay uses the "mission bell" on the mace (De Kay, 1993, 100).

Arms of Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal), Houston, TX
Designed by the Rev. Canon Edward N. West
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Rev. Canon Edward N. West (1909-1990), as far as we know, did not use external ornaments in his designs for cathedral arms.  In 1966, West designed the arms of Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, TX which de Kay (1993) shows as a seal (p.119).

It seems most likely that the commission may have dictated whether or not external ornaments were created, as several cathedrals appear to use seals containing arms within a matrix rendering external ornaments obsolete with certain layouts.  Within the vesica pieces design widely used by dioceses, the key and crozier with the bishop's mitre works rather well.  

Armorial flag of St. Matthew's Episcopal Cathedral, Laramie, WY
Designed by the Rev. Henry Martyn Medary 
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Another variation can be found in a commission by the Rev. Henry Martyn Medary (1871-1962), who designed an armorial flag for St. Matthew's Episcopal Cathedral in Laramie, Wyoming (De Kay, 1993, 122). 

Arms of Christ Church Cathedral, Eau Claire, WI
Designed by the Rev. Henry Martyn Medary
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 

Medary also designed the arms for Christ Church Cathedral in Eau Claire, WI.  The cathedral was then a parish when Medary's design was unveiled in 1921.  Click here to learn more about Medary's design for Christ Church.

Arms of St. Paul's Cathedral, Erie, PA
Designed by the Very Rev. Frederic R. Murray
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 

The Very Rev. Frederic R. Murray (1910-1996) would create his own external design to support his creation of the arms of St. Paul's Cathedral in Erie, Pennsylvania where he served as dean.  De Kay (1993) provides an illustration of Murray using two swords--points to base--supporting the escutcheon, a phoenix rising from its flames as the crest, and adds the motto, "Press On."  Altogether something different.

Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I wanted to see if I could add another touch, in hopes of providing identification of the see itself on the crozier for cathedrals.  As such, I've placed the escutcheon of the arms of the appropriate see within the crook as an additional ornament.  Hopefully, the addition does not make the design too fussy. 

Arms of Washington National Cathedral and the Diocese of Washington
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Here's an up close view of how these two pair together.  The arms of Washington National Cathedral were designed in the late 1940s by Alanson H. Sturgis, whose sister was married to the dean of the cathedral (Washington National Cathedral, 1949).  The Diocese of Washington's coat of arms were designed by la Rose and illustrated in Christian Art (1907, November, 59-71). 

As seen, each designer added their unique touch when designing arms for cathedrals in the Episcopal Church--but the quest for uniformity in the Church's heraldry continues.  

Works Cited

DeKay, Eckford. (1993).  Heraldry in the Episcopal Church.  Acorn Press.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1907 November).  Ecclesiastical heraldry in America II.  Diocesan arms.  In R.A. Cram (Ed.), Christian Art, 2(2), pp. 59-71.

The Living Church (1916, May 27).  Maryland.  The Living Church, 55(4), 150.

Washington National Cathedral (1949).  The Cathedral Age, 24(1).

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

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.   

Coat of arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The pheon from Claggett's coat of arms was incorporated into the design of new arms for the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland in 1915.  Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1871-1941) created the arms and used the pheon to both reference and honor the see's first bishop.

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.

Coat of 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

Bishop Cross may have been a supporter for changing the arms of Spokane around 1928-29, which 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 Richard Grein
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The personal arms of the Rt. Rev. Richard F. Grein (1932-2024), Bishop of New York, were designed by the Rev. Canon John G.B. Andrew, OBE, D.D. (1931-2014) and granted by the College of Arms.  The maltese cross references the bishop's membership in Order of St. John.

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 the designer of the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Erie, later renamed in 1981 as the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania.  Medary also designed the arms for the Diocese of Delaware in 1911.

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

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

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.    

Arms of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Take, for example, the arms of the Rev. Canon Edward Nason West, OBE, Th.D., Litt.D., Sub-Prelate St.J. (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, D.D. (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

Canon Andrew's personal arms showing his D.D.  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.