Happy St. John's Day

Armorial flags of the Order of St. John
and the US Priory
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Each year on 24 June, the Church commemorates the Feast of St. John the Baptist, a day celebrated by confreres of the Order of St. John worldwide.  As a proud serving brother, I'm adding my hallelujahs as the Order rejoices worldwide in thanksgiving for the ministry and work done by so many in the name of St. John.  

Arms of the US Priory, Order of St. John
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The heraldry of the Order of St. John is beautiful, simple, and full of symbolism.  In 1926, the current version of the Order's arms were granted by the College of Arms in London and blazoned: Gules a Cross Argent in the first quarter a Representation of His Majesty’s Crest.  Priories and commanderies of the Order have their arms differened by adding relevant charges on the white cross. 

The arms currently used by the US Priory as seen above, were granted in 1996 with the official blazon: “Gules a cross Argent in the first quarter the Royal Crest proper differenced by charging the cross with a roundel Azure thereon the head of a Bald Eagle erased Argent armed Or within a Circlet of thirteen Mullets Argent.”

Armorial flag of the US Priory, Order of St. John
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Each priory and commandery also uses a version of the Order's arms translated into armorial flags for additional heraldic identification.

Armorial flag of the Order of St. John
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Following one year since I was appointed to the Order as a Member by HM King Charles III, I have made so many new friends and connections from just about every corner of the globe.  I would have never imagined such blessings in my life, and I offer my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for this incredible opportunity to serve in the Order of St. John.  Thanks be God.  May St. John the Baptist pray for me and all those in the Order of St. John as we strive to be Christ's hands on earth today.  Pro Fide!

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 a 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!

Arms of the National Shrine & Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham

Armorial ensigns of the National Shrine & Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Walsingham is truly an ecumenical place.  You feel this as soon as you enter the village; Orthodox, Anglican, and Roman Catholics all venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Walsingham.  I've long felt that Walsingham is the key to fruitful ecumenical relations for the Body of Christ.

As I've posted before regarding the arms granted to the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham--the Anglican Shrine--it's time to examine its nearby Roman Catholic cousin, the National Shrine and Basilica.

Click here to learn about the arms of the College of Guardians.

The "Slipper" Chapel

The National Shrine and Basilica of Walsingham.
Source: ExploreWestNorfolk.co.uk

Long known as the "Slipper Chapel," this structure dates to the mid-14th century and dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria.  Located roughly one mile from Walsingham, the chapel served as the last stop for those making their pilgrimage to the Holy House.  With bare feet as an act of humility, the faithful would removed their shoes at the chapel before proceeding onwards to Walsingham.

"When this chapel was built, Walsingham was second only to Canterbury in the ranks of English pilgrimage. The replica of the Holy House, where Mary had received news of her pregnancy from the Angel Gabriel, contained the precious statue of Our Lady of Walsingham. Thousands of people made their way here, down the muddy tracks and over the rolling Norfolk fields. 

"At Houghton St Giles, they would enter the orbit of Walsingham, their goal now almost in sight. It may be that they took off their shoes here, and walked the last stretch barefoot. It might also be the case that this is why it is called the Slipper Chapel. And it may be that it is not true, or even likely, for many of the pilgrims here would probably have been barefoot long before they reached Houghton" (Knot, 2023).

The chapel's history waxed and waned through the years and eventually fell into disrepair.  A wealthy lady, Miss Charlotte Pearson Boyd discovered the property and quickly purchased it on June 26, 1896. and gave it to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton for use.  The bishop charged the Benedictines at nearby Downside Abbey to care for the place.

In time, a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham was commissioned and stayed at the nearby Roman Catholic church in Kings Lynn.  Knott recounts that on occasion, pilgrimages from Kings Lynn to Walsingham took place as the statue of Our Lady was carried in procession.

Knott continues his story of the chapel:

"And so things might have remained, if it had not been for the emergence on to the Walsingham scene of one Alfred Hope Patten. In 1921, he became Anglican Vicar of Little Walsingham. A devout and energetic Anglo-catholic, Hope Patten found himself to be the right person in the right place at the right time. Everything came together, in this decade when Anglo-catholicism reached the peak of its influence in the Church of England, and the Church itself was the most vivid it would ever be in the national consciousness. He installed an image of Our Lady of Walsingham in the Anglican parish church of St Mary. 

"Throughout the 1920s, visits to the statue grew in popularity, until thousands of Anglo-catholics each year were coming to pray in the church and to process around it. As you may imagine, the Anglican Bishop of Norwich was outraged, and demanded that Hope Patten remove the image from his church. Hope Patten being the kind of man he was, he acceded to this request by building a new replica of the Holy House on the other side of the Priory ruins, and placing the statue inside it. 

"At last, the Shrine of Our Lady had been returned to Walsingham - but, much to the the chagrin of the Catholic Church, it was an Anglican one" (Knott, 2023).     

Good old Hope Patten!  From here the National Shrine's presence grows, aided by two important papal actions.  The shrine was elevated by a canonical coronation decreed by Pope Pius XII in 1954, and later Pope Francis elevated the National Shrine to a minor basilica in 2015.

Arms of the National Shrine & Basilica

Arms of the Augustine Priory of Our Lady of Walsingham
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

So now the heraldry bit.  Upon the elevation of the shrine to a basilica, external ornaments are required in order for the arms to show its new status, by adding the papal umbraculum or "big umbrella" and crossed keys.  

Ordinariate News provides the following information:

"Dr. David Woolf has been a longstanding pilgrim and supporter of the Shrine and remains a member of the Order of Our Lady of Walsingham. He has links with the Rector of the Basilica, Monsignor John Armitage, who has since asked him to ensure that heraldically suitable Arms might be adopted by the Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham.

"A manuscript dating from c. 1510 records the Arms of the Priory of Walsingham as Argent on a cross sable five lilies slipped argent, i.e. a black cross on a white background, with five lilies superimposed on the cross. The Basilica is now the modern day successor of the Priory of Walsingham, and as such it is appropriate that the Basilica has assumed the Arms of the Priory. These Arms have been augmented to include the ombrellino and the Papal crossed keys: one gold, the other silver" (Murphy, 2016 March 7).

And here's where I ask the question:  does the basilica have the right to bear the undifferenced arms of the Augustinian Priory of Walsingham?  With all due respect, my answer:  no.  

Consider the following:

1. When the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham petitioned the College of Arms in 1945 for armorial ensigns, the arms were differenced from those of the Priory by adding a blue canton with an image of the Holy House in gold.  The College of Arms, most likely, would not make a new grant without some change made to an existing coat of arms.  The ruins of the priory, it should be noted, are located within the bounds of the Anglican shrine at Walsingham.  

2. When Pope Benedict XVI created the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in 2009, the adopted arms had two marks of differencing from those of Walsingham--replacing the color of the cross from black to blue while selecting fleurs-de-lis for the Madonna lilies.  These arms are impaled along with those used by Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890) to form the official coat of arms of the ordinariate.

L-R: Arms of the Anglican Ordinariate in the UK and US
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The illustration above shows the arms of the Ordinariate in the UK (left) and in the US (right).  Below are the arms of the US ordinariate's cathedral in Houston, Texas, Our Lady of Walsingham Cathedral.  I placed the arms within a traditional arrangement for cathedrals using a mace and crozier in saltire.  I set the arms of the US Anglican Ordinariate within the crook for additional identification and decoration, and the whole ensigned with a bishop's miter and infulae draping to the sides. 

Arms for Our Lady of Walsingham Cathedral in Houston, Texas
Seat of the Bishop, US Anglican Ordinariate
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham are blazoned:  Per pale, in dexter argent upon a cross azure five fleurs-de-lis proper [Ordinariate]; the sinister half, Or upon a fasce dancette gules between three heart gules [Newman].

3.  The original arms, as far as we know, were used by the Priory of Augustinian canons in Walsingham.  The National Shrine is simply not a successor able to use these undifferenced arms--the National Shrine is neither a priory nor Augustinian.  Simply being the same denomination does not grant successor status in my opinion.  

I'm not the sort of chap who complains without proffering solutions.  I propose a revision to the arms currently being used by the National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham. 

A Proposal for Unification in Arms

Illustrating possible unification in arms between the National Shrine & Basilica and the Anglican Shrine of the College of Guardians
Click image to enlarge
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Illustrating unification in corporate heraldry is a beautiful concept.  When designed and executed properly, a suite of armorial ensigns harmoniously display bespoke identification for the corporate sole and surrogate foundations.

As I wrote at the beginning of this article, Our Lady of Walsingham has a special charism at work in the hearts of Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox Christians.  Our Lady, in other words, is a bridge between Christ and His Church.  Thus, Our Lady of Walsingham serves as a powerful unifier for all Christians and denominations.  Why not incorporate this charism into the heraldry of Walsingham?  The desire for unification in arms (and certainly more widely for the Body of Christ) forms the basis of my proposal.

I've rendered my little thought experiment above to illustrate the design proposal.  The revision, in my opinion, follows with what I believe is in keeping with one practice used by the College of Arms for differencing existing arms.  I could be wrong.

Processional banner of the proposed arms for the National Shrine & Basilica
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Armorial flag of the proposed arms for the National Shrine & Basilica
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

On a processional banner or armorial flag, the proposed arms look dignified and worthy of the National Shrine and Basilica.  The flag would not have to comply with the Earl Marshal's Warrant of 1938 which regulates ecclesiastical flags for the Church of England.

The blazon I offer for the proposed revision of arms of the National Shrine & Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham: Argent, on a cross Sable five Madonna lilies slipped and seeded proper, on a canton Azure a crescent Or.  

Proposed revision of arms for the National Shrine & Basilica
of Our Lady of Walsingham
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The crescent charge has long been a Marian symbol and rendering it in gold alludes to Pope Pius XII's canonical coronation of the shrine.  I also like how the crescent charge plays with the cadency mark.  In a sense, the Basilica is the "child" of the Priory (albeit a distance one, like a different cadet branch, and not able to inherit the undifferenced arms).  The canton reflects Our Lady's color of blue while providing ties for unification with the arms of the College of Guardians.  

Maybe I've missed something, as I am by no means an expert in heraldic law and inheritance.  In the meantime, may the charism of Our Lady of Walsingham continue to spread in the hearts and minds of souls everywhere.

Originally written and posted in 2020.  I've recently revised this article with new artwork and data.

Works Cited

Murphy, David (2016 March 7).  New coat of arms for the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham is designed by an Ordinariate member.  Ordinariate News.  Accessed on May 23, 2025.  https://ordinariateexpats.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/new-coat-of-arms-for-the-basilica-and-national-shrine-of-our-lady-of-walsingham-is-designed-by-an-ordinariate-member/

Knott, Simon (2023). Slipper Chapel, Houghton St Giles.  The Last of England: Churches of East Anglia Norfolk.  Accessed on May 23, 2025. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/houghtonshrine/houghtonshrine.htm

Five Years On: Revisiting the Attributed Arms of Black Lives Matter

The revised attributed arms for Black Lives Matter
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

A few years ago I learned an important truth about the power of a 13th century abstract form of identification enjoys well into the modern age...but first let's revisit the year of 1963.

On what could only have been a horrendously humid and hot day on August 23, 1963, Washington, DC must have been a powder keg ready to explode as The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) took to the podium addressing a sea of sweaty hungry souls.

There on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. King delivered what history has deemed one of the great masterpieces of rhetoric, his famous, "I have a dream," speech.  Dr. King's words echo across our great country today:

"So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

"...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

"...And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last" (Talk of the Nation, 16 January 2023).

His dream has become the dream of millions worldwide, as communities everywhere continue their own struggles for civil rights in the modern age. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself re-engaged with heraldry thanks to quarantine.  I took several years off in order to focus on my doctoral program, and felt a wee bit rusty on the subject. I decided to take the plunge and convert my Anglo-Catholic blog to a heraldic research one.  Now, that's a pivot!  

A graffitied rendering of the attributed arms of Black Lives Matter
posted on Reddit and sent in by a reader.

Simultaneously, America was once again electrified, on the brink of major social change.  The Black Lives Matter movement was working to wake our Nation from slumber, calling on citizens everywhere to live out Dr. King's hallowed words.  

I had an idea, a way to show not only my support for the movement and need for change, but to see if heraldry's power of abstract symbolism holds meaning in the 21st century.  I sketched a design for a coat of arms attributed to Black Lives Matter, and posted the arms on my blog in a show of solidarity.  Click here to read the original post.   In my mind, this was Kingdom Theology at work. 

___________________

Sidebar.  What's that?  Kingdom Theology is an Anglo-Catholic framework or lens through which one sees virtually everything, the "already, but not yet."  The Kingdom of God has come, Jesus proclaimed in the Gospels, but the heavenly realm has not yet been fulfilled.  Thus, we have lots of work to do living in these between times.  Click here to read a reflection I delivered on the topic as a seminarian.

___________________

Something good went viral.

  

Unknowingly, the online heraldry community took notice and I began receiving digital emblazonments of the arms.  Since those were the days of pencil and paper for me, I was amazed at the power of color in heraldry.  I was speechless!  I added a subsequent post to share the illustrations I received.  Click here to read the second post on the attributed arms of Black Lives Matter.

Attributed arms of Black Lives Matter designed by Chad Krouse
Rendered by Dimitri Prica, 2022

I felt the need to commission a digital version myself and turned to Dimitri Prica.  Click here to read my feature on Prica's heraldic artwork.  Yes, it is true, fame fizzles in seconds, and within a handful of days all went quiet regarding my post.

Flag and arms of Black Lives Matter
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Five years on, I've revisited my design and appreciate what I attempted to pack in those arms.  Since then, I feel as I though I've grown a bit in my understanding of heraldry and its design.  Today, I want to share my final version of the attributed arms in hopes to keep alive the cause of equal rights and the ongoing work of Black Lives Matter.

Graphic unpacking the design rationale
Click image to enlarge
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The graphic above readily explains my revision and I believe is more fitting, reflective of my progress in heraldic design.  The 2020 version is not bad, I simply see a better vision for these arms.

Blazon for the 2025 revision for attributed arms of Black Lives Matter:  Gules masonry Sable, on a dove displayed Argent haloed Or on an inescutcheon Sable issuing from a celestial crown in base the fist of Black Lives Matter all Or.

Arms of Black Lives Matter within a bordure of the arms of the United States of America
Designed and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

To honor that day in August 1963 and Dr. King's extraordinary ability to bring together all Americans, I put together the rending above, placing the arms of Black Lives Matter within the bordure of arms of the United States.  

So, what exactly was that truth I learned?  When designs for arms are simple and its identification clear, heraldry has the carrying power through abstraction to convey meaning, especially when words fail us.  This truth, known by many in heraldry, is my foundation and guide.  I won't forget those brief moments in 2020.

Dreams can come true. 

WORKS CITED

Talk of the Nation (16 January 2023). Read Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech in its entirety.  National Public Radio, accessed May 19, 2025 https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety

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.

The Arms of Johns Hopkins University

The seal and coat of arms of The Johns Hopkins University
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

With the Great 50 days of Easter now in full swing, I'd like to return to some new heraldic discoveries among our academies.  Today, I want to feature a fairly well known coat of arms, albeit one with a plot twist.  To read other articles in this series focusing on corporate heraldry shaping the American tradition, click the tag at the end of this post.

For a quick recap:  several months ago I challenged myself to seek and find good corporate heraldry in the Episcopal Church, civic/social organizations, and my other favorite category of scholastic coats of arms.  I wanted to build a dataset of those corporate bodies bearing coats of arms that shape the American heraldic tradition, as well as to prove this ancient art is alive and thriving in the US today.   

Coat of arms of Johns Hopkins University
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is another example of arms that I did not pay much attention to over the years.  Why?  Given the only emblazonments seen of the university's arms are entangled within its vesica seal likely kept me from digging any further.  As a result of taking on the task of rendering those arms discovered online, I know that how these arms were presented created my issue.  

When I began to render the seal and actually look at the design, the disparate elements began to make sense to me.  What I once saw as fussy now has layers of meaning.  I recall reading in Col. Harry D. Temple's (1911-2004) Heraldry and the Diocese of Virginia, in which he noted the use of oak leaves in scholastic coats of arms as a way to denote strength.  I never considered this image of acorns and leaves in Johns Hopkins' ensigns to be anything more than mere doodles.  I was wrong.         

These arms continue to grow on me, even with the Calvert-Crossland quarterings that seemingly overpower everything. I sense there must be another way to illustrate geographical location for the university rather than blithely use the arms of Maryland.  Ah, too late.  

Adopted by its board of trustees on 7 December 1885, the seal and coat of arms of this private research university were collaboratively designed by Clayton C. Hall, a prominent Baltimore historian and Stephen Tucker, then Somerset Herald at the College of Arms in London (Johns Hopkins University, n.d.).  Plot twist...heralds at work on an American design in the 19th century.

Having evidence of the College of Arms creating a scholastic coat prior to the 20th century is assuredly an outlier in my data--the College of William & Mary notwithstanding.  I have evidence of the herald's college involved with designing arms for Bryn Mawr College (1903-1904) and the University of Chicago (1911-1912), but those would come later.  Furthermore, it is altogether possible that Johns Hopkins' commission to the College of Arms may have created a precedent that the University of Chicago (also a private research university) would later follow with their restudy.  Perhaps a missing piece of the puzzle now coming into focus.  Thus, this London-based plot twist was an exciting revelation.

L-R: Coats of arms of Bryn Mawr College and the University of Chicago
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

One observation:  it appears that the go-to differencing mark used by the heralds at that time in corporate arms is the chief,  Johns Hopkins and University of Chicago illustrate this point.   Click here to learn about the coat of arms of the University of Chicago.  

Armorial flag, Johns Hopkins University
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The date of armorial adoption places the university in the top 5 US academic institutions bearing coats of arms.  As this is a ongoing project there will be some seat swapping as new data emerges.  For now, these are the current top five oldest academic institutions in the US with coats of arms along with their adoption date:

1. Harvard University - 1643

2. College of William & Mary - 1694

3. Yale University - 1740

4. Brown University - 1833

5. Johns Hopkins University - 1885

The university's arms look sharp as an armorial flag.  The quartered crosses bottony are supposed to be stretched as illustrated, unfortunately.  

Blazon for the arms of Johns Hopkins University:  Quarterly 1st and 4th, paly of six Or and Sable a bend counterchanged (Calvert); 2nd and 3rd, quarterly Argent and Gules, a cross bottony counterchanged (Crossland); on a chief Azure a terrestrial globe between two open books bound and edged Or.

Works Cited

Johns Hopkins University (n.d.).  Academic seal.  Johns Hopkins University, https://brand.jhu.edu/visual-identity/university-marks/#academic-seal

Temple, Harry D. (1971).  Heraldry and the Diocese of Virginia.  Privately printed.

Another Cookbook: The Arms of St. Peter's Parish

Arms of St. Peter's Parish Church New Kent, Virginia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Mind the cookbooks.  Never underestimate the power of those plastic spiral bindings or Episcopal Church Women (ECW) for that matter. 

Kitchen Keys
Published in 1988 by the Episcopal Church Women
of St. Peter's Parish Church, New Kent, Virginia

I happened upon this heraldic cookbook online as part of my quest to discover, render, and share sound corporate heraldry in the US.  Why?  To illustrate the existence of an American heraldic tradition that is alive and continues well into the 21st century.  My focus is on ecclesiastical heraldry in the Episcopal Church and scholastic coats of arms--think schools, academies, colleges, seminaries, universities, and any US-based academic organization.  I have no desire to attempt to collect and catalogue the entirety of designs within these categories, as I'm more interested in those designs that honor the tradition and rules of heraldry.    

Not long ago, I wrote a small bit about the Episcopal Church cookbook phenomenon when I discovered an impaled coat of arms of a parish gracing one such cover.  Click here to read more about my first heraldic cookbook discovery. To read other articles in the Recent Finds series, click the corresponding label at the end of this post.  

Banners of arms for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia & St. Peter's Parish Church
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Kitchen Keys plays nicely on the parish dedication of St. Peter's Parish Church in New Kent, Virginia.  The title is brilliant!  Less than an hour from where I write, this historic parish is located in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and boasts a well differenced coat of arms.  

Far too often I see parishes adopting the undifferenced-attributed arms of their dedication and using for their own corporate identity.  I blame good intentions and a widespread lack of education within the Episcopal Church on heraldry and parish identity.  To wit, the last publication on church heraldry was Dekay (1993) which is fine but contains errors, gaps without data, and lacks source material.  While Dekay's work is an important contribution towards advancing our knowledge on the subject, it must be treated as a point of departure rather than gospel truth.

Meanwhile, 32 years have passed and little has been added to the literature on heraldry in the Episcopal Church, leaving the faithful bereft and uneducated.

Arms of St. Peter's Parish Church New Kent, Virginia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

To confirm tinctures for these arms as seen on the cover, I searched the parish's website and Facebook page for any additional evidence.  

There is a banner hanging towards the back of the sanctuary containing the coat of arms--a white field can be confirmed.  Sadly, it does appear that both keys and stars are gold.  Since the photo on the website was taken at a distance, I'm following the recipe from Kitchen Keys and going with red.

Arms and flag of St. Peter's Parish Church, New Kent, Virginia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The crossed keys of Saint Peter readily identify themself and the parish dedication.  Established in 1679, St. Peter's Parish experienced the horrors of two wars while surviving to share God's story of love and faithfulness.  The two stars likely commemorate the Revolutionary War and Civil War, the latter causing the most destruction to parish property (Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, n.d.).

By changing tinctures, omitting an upside-down cross, and adding two stars sufficiently differences the parish's arms from those attributed to Saint Peter.  If the two stars commemorate the parish's history through two armed conflicts on American soil, then these arms truly provide bespoke identification for the parish church.  I say to whomever designed the parish arms, job well done.   

Processional banner of arms of St. Peter's Parish Church, New Kent, Virginia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I think the arms look rather lovely, and perfectly suited as an armorial flag and processional banner.  I should think all eyes would be on St. Peter's processional banner at the next diocesan convention.

The blazon for the arms of St. Peter's Parish Church, New Kent, Virginia:  Argent, two keys in saltire wards to chief between in chief and in base two stars of five points Gules.

Works Cited

De Kay, E.J. (1993).  Heraldry of the Episcopal Church.  Acorn Press. 

Episcopal Church Women of St. Peter's Parish Church. (1988).  Kitchen keys.  William Byrd Press.

Saint Peter's Episcopal Church. (n.d.).  Our history.  accessed on April 10, 2025.  https://www.stpetersnewkent.org/About_Us_Mission_and_Ministries/History/