Pro Fide: The Honour of a Lifetime

The coat of arms of the US Priory of the Order of St. John.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

"The KING has been graciously pleased to sanction the following Promotions in, and Admissions to, the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem with effect from 4 April 2024 the date of His Majesty's sign-manual."  With those words published in the 19 April 2024 edition of The London Gazette, I found myself officially a member of the Order of St. John.  Even now, well over a week or more since the announcement, I still have moments of "that can't be true."  I consider this appointment to be an extraordinary "honour," one that defies my own belief in many ways. 

The coat of arms of Dr. Chad Krouse with the Order of St. John medal for serving members. 
Emblazoned by Quentin Peacock.

Of course, there is a heraldic element in this as well.  To help curb my excitement, I spent some time studying the arms of US Priory which were granted by the College of Arms in 1996 in recognition of its elevation to a priory.  The 1996 grant effectively replaced an earlier grant from 1988--made to the "American Society of the Order of St. John."  

The main arms are simply blazoned:  Gules, a cross throughout Argent, in dexter canton the Royal badge proper.  Each priory is then differenced through an emblem placed at the fess point.  For the US Priory: on a roundel Azure a Bald eagle head erased proper surrounded by thirteen mullets Argent.

Coat of arms, the US Priory of the Order of St. John.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The Order has two mottos:  Pro Fide and Pro Utilitate Hominum.  These two mottoes are translated from Latin, "for the faith," and "in the service to humanity."  Noble goals for us to work towards.  

Coat of arms, the US Priory of the Order of St. John with mottos.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Funny aside.  I was invited to join the members' Facebook Group where I shared my emblazonments of the US Priory and received positive feedback.  However, my good deed sparked several requests for emblazonments of other priories! 

Banner, the US Priory of the Order of St. John.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As my old mentor used to say, "no good deed goes unpunished."  Indeed.  Thankfully, the differencing of the arms for each priory is fairly simple and straightforward and I was able to make some happy new confreres.

Coat of arms, the Priory in Canada of the Order of St. John.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, the Priory in Australia of the Order of St. John.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

An illustration of the arms of St. Thomas Fifth Avenue and the US Priory of the Order of St. John.  I wanted to use the maltese crosses as little heraldic flowers.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

My investiture will be held at one of my favorite parishes, St. Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York later this year.  While my head continues to spin with excitement, I'm looking forward to this new journey.

The Heraldry of England's Nazareth

The arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham. 
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

During the Pandemic, I wrote a bit about the heraldry identifying "England's Nazareth," that holiest of places in England where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the Lady Richeldis.  Please click here to read my post on these arms.  As I continue to dabble in digital design, I thought it would be best to render the arms of the name of this blog's dedication.  More to point, I've never encountered a digital emblazonment for Walsingham and I rather liked the challenge to see what I could do.  

The arms of the Priory of Walsingham circa 1510 based on records indicating the blazon.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The emblazonment above is the earliest known coat from the Augustinian priory established in Walsingham.  The simple and clear arms are blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Sable five lilies slipped and seeded proper.

In 1945, a grant of arms was made to the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady Walsingham based on the historic coat borne by the Augustinians, albeit differenced of course.  Please click here to read more about the College's grant.  The College of Arms design is blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Sable five lilies slipped and seeded proper, on a canton Azure a holy house Or.

The biggest challenge in pulling these arms together is the image of the Holy House.  From the image below of the complete achievement (crest, arms, motto), I was able to get a basic sense of the layout and proportion, after all heraldic charges need not have too much detail.  And so I was able to render my own version of the Holy House following the spirit of the emblazonment above.  Naturally I had to render a proper banner of arms for the College.

Banner of arms (or armorial flag) for the College of Guardians.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

However, there are regulations for ecclesiastical flags laid down in the Earl Marshal's Warrant of 1938.  Thus, I've rendered this design based on a photograph I found.

Flag arranged based on the 1937 Earl Marshal's Warrant concerning flag design in the Church of England.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Finally, this post would not be complete without the arms of the Shrine's Restorer, The Rev. A. Hope Patten (1885-1958) after his bookplate.

The arms of the Shrine's Restorer, The Rev. A. Hope Patten (1885-1958) after an emblazonment on his bookplate.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Some Recent Scholastic Flags

Armorial flag of the University of Notre Dame (IN).  Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1930.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As I continue to explore Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's (1872-1941) corporate heraldry and transfer a select group of those into banners of arms, I continue to be amazed at the level of detail and execution he employed at such a high level.  In the pre-digital age, seeing la Rose's exacting hand at work has been impressive.  I'm enjoying the process and learning loads of minute details that would otherwise go unnoticed.  Below are several of his designs for academic institutions that I recently completed.

Armorial flag of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.  Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1906.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of Rice University.  Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1912.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of Notre Dame of Maryland University.  Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1914.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of the Catholic Students Mission Crusade.  Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1924.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of Lancaster Catholic High School (PA).  Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose between 1928-1930.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of St. Paul's School (NH). Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1931. Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of The Catholic University of America (DC). Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1933. Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of St. George's School (RI).  Arms originally designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1939.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

To shake things up, here are two armorial flags that are not designed by la Rose.  These flags are based on the coat of arms of Kenyon College and its seminary Bexley Hall located in Ohio.  Both were designed by The Rev. Canon Orville E. Watson (1857-1951) in approximately 1908.  Click here to learn more about these armorial bearings.

Armorial flag of Kenyon College (OH).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Armorial flag of Bexley Hall Seminary at Kenyon College (OH).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Some Recent Ecclesiastical Flags

In honor of the today being the Feast of the Resurrection, I'm sharing a few emblazonments that I recently completed from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's (1872-1941) portfolio.  I was working on a study of armorial flags, or banners of arms.  I find that I learn best when actively practicing something--getting one's hands dirty, so to speak.

While I am no means a digital heraldic artist, it is rewarding to see these flags come to life.  I dare say many of these arms la Rose designed never became armorial flags, and I relish the challenge to create something new from something old.  Rendering the arms of the Archdiocese of Seattle was rather interesting and I learned a few new tricks.  Enjoy!

The Episcopal Church.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Richmond (Virginia).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Cincinnati (OH).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Seattle.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. Mary's Abbey (Benedictine), Morristown, NJ.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. Vincent's Archabbey (Benedictine), Latrobe, PA.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Springfield (IL).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Portland (OR).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Lincoln (NE).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Omaha (NE).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Lead (now Rapid City).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

For the Love of Flags

My ever-expanding collection of armorial desk flags.

Readers will recently notice that I've seriously kicked up my artwork game, namely adding armorial flags and banners to posts in an effort to break up lengthy texts.  My confession:  I am absolutely fascinated by flying heraldry and all thanks to Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941).

I vividly recall the first time I encountered one of la Rose's flags early in my research back in 2014.  For his commission with Mundelein College in 1930, la Rose not only designed a beautiful coat for the institution, but rendered an armorial flag and "banner" as well.  Please click here to learn more about Mundelein College's arms.  I had no idea that a shield's design could be arranged in such a way, and my interest was clearly piqued. 

Armorial flag of Mundelein College designed by la Rose in 1930.
Image courtesy of the Women's and Leadership Archives, Loyola University, 2023.

Seeing la Rose's flag design set off a series of ideas running in my head regarding arms familiar to my experience.  Having admittedly poor draftsmanship, I broke out a pencil and ruler fumbling through multiple attempts to arrange the arms of Sewanee: The University of the South and its schools into flags.  Looking back now, selecting these arms with the intricate Sewanee tressure was probably not the wisest choice for my first go at this newfound interest.  Please click here to read about Sewanee's heraldry.  

Pencil drawings of armorial flags of the University of the South and its schools.
By the Author, 2014.

Dialing in the Sewanee tressure to near perfection about did me in, but I learned that it's all about straight lines and angles.  In the end, I appreciated Dr. McCrady's creativity when he designed these arms.  Below is a curated display of armorial flags commissioned so far, and there's a few more still to come.

The University of the South. 
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

College of Arts & Sciences, the University of the South.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

The School of Theology, the University of the South.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

Hampden-Sydney College.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

The American Heraldry Society.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2023.

My attributed design for an armorial flag for Fuqua School.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2023.

The Medieval Academy of America.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

Lenox School.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

I've taken my passion for armorial flags to the next level by attempting to digitally emblazon some of my favorite arms designed by la Rose.  Below are several flags I recently rendered as part of a study of la Rose's methods for translating arms from shield to flag.  While not perfect, as I am by no means a digital heraldic artist, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.  Honestly, I was slightly impressed after my first go at things.  I started with Harvard's arms and the next thing I knew I created over 20 flags.  

While la Rose did not create the arms for Harvard University, he was the first to translate its shield into a banner of arms which the Harvard Corporation officially adopted in 1918.  Please click here to read more about la Rose's design for an armorial flag for Harvard.  

The second flag rendering attempted was local--the arms of the Diocese of Richmond which are simple and lovely.  To learn more about la Rose's design for the Diocese of Richmond, please click here.  Finally, if the reader is mesmerized--like I am--by the arms la Rose created for St. George's School, click here for my analysis on these stunning arms.  The portion of the lozengy field covered by the red cross of St. George creates a visual delight drawing the eyes immediately to the arms.  

On the heels of three successful armorial flag emblazonments, I went full throttle without looking back.  So enjoy these flags, image if the reader had nothing to look at other than my humble pencil sketches...   

Harvard University based on la Rose's design.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Kirkland House, Harvard.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose and have since changed. Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Harvard Law School.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose and have since changed.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Harvard Divinity School.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Richmond (Virginia).  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Seattle.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. George's School (RI).  These arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Brooks School (MA).  Most likely designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.  These arms were redesigned by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Pierson College at Yale.  These arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Rice University.  These arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Two quick projects in the pipeline include digital art for my armorial flag and one for my brother.  Below are my final pencil drawings for Hofmann.

Armorial flag of my brother's arms.

Layout of my assumed arms as an armorial flag.

Armorial flags continue to fascinate me as visual identification flying high on a pole.  The applications for heraldry are truly endless.  More to come.