Pro Fide: An Honor of a Lifetime

The arms of the Venerable Order of the Hospital 
of St. John of Jerusalem as granted by the College of Arms.
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 Chad Krouse rendered by Quentin Peacock.
I added the OStJ member medal.

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."  

Arms of the American Society of the Order of St. John
as granted by the College of Arms in 1988.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The blazon for the arms of the American Society of the Order of St. John, granted by the College of Arms in 1988: "Gules, a cross Argent in the first quarter the Royal Crest proper and on the cross a Bald Eagle displayed proper."

The arms of the US Priory of the Order of St. John
as granted by the College of Arms in 1996.

By 1996, the American Society was elevated in status to that of a priory and was granted new arms from the College of Arms.  The US Priory's coat of arms 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.”

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.  

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

The priory's investiture will be held at one of my favorite parishes, St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City, in October this year.  

Crossed banners of arms:  St. Thomas Church and the US Priory of the Order of St. John
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coincidentally, St. Thomas' received a devisal of arms from the herald's college in 1975, blazoned: "Or, on a cross formy throughout Azure between four closed books saltirewise Gules garnished and a each charged with a long cross a spear Or headed Argent."  

Arms of St. Thomas Parish on Fifth Avenue in New York City
received as a devisal from the College of Arms.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The parish's coat of arms is simple, clear, and quite striking--the work of its beloved rector, The Rev. Canon John Andrew, OBE (1931-2014) affectionately known as the Pursuivant of Manhattan.

I'll certainly post some photos from the service.  Pro Fide!

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 Shield Work

The arms of St. George's School (RI) designed by la Rose.  
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I figured my rectangular-flag-shaped world needed some spice, and so we're now moving (albeit slowly) into proper shields.  Here are a few of my latest attempts.

The arms of Lancaster Catholic High School (PA) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The coat of arms of Brooks School (MA) designed around 1932, a suspiciously la Rosian design.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of St. Vincent Archabbey (PA) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of St. Mary's Abbey (NJ) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Harvard University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of the Episcopal Church designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of St. Edward's Seminary (WA) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of The Catholic University of America designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The former arms of Harvard Law designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Harvard Business School designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of former Calhoun College at Yale, both name and arms have since been retired by the university.  Designed by la Rose.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

A few arms not designed by la Rose:

The arms of Kenyon College in Ohio designed by The Rev. Canon Watson in 1908.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Bexley Hall Seminary which was under Kenyon College in Ohio.  Designed by The Rev. Canon Watson in 1908.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

The arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham, granted by the College of Arms in 1945.  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.