The Heraldry of Saint Thomas Church

The lush heraldry of Saint Thomas Church in New York City.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Whenever I find myself in New York City I hear the spiritual call from Saint Thomas Church, a holy refuge from the horns and packs of tourists milling about along Fifth Avenue.  In the heart of midtown stands a resplendent temple of the Lord representing the best of the Episcopal Church's architectural and liturgical offerings (clearly I'm biased).  Don't believe me?  Just pop in for evensong and you'll see my point.  Even if I'm rushed and unable to participate in one of the many liturgies, I light a candle and say a prayer in the presence of Our Lady of Fifth Avenue asking Mary to intercede on my behalf.

And the parish's motto is particularly striking and poignant--"O God my heart is ready."  Certainly, however, there is a lovely heraldic component to all this well.  

Bertram Goodhue's (1869-1924) design St Thomas Coat of arms
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Following the disastrous fire which consumed the church in 1905, the firm Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson was selected to rebuild, and on a much grander scale.  Both Gilliss (1927) and Krause (2001) credit Bertram G. Goodhue (1869-1924) for the majority of detail and designs found within the fabric, and given Goodhue's hand in the design for the great reredos, it is most likely that he is responsible for one of the earliest known designs of arms for the parish.

Image from Gilliss (1927) p. 21.

Based on the illustration above from Gillis (1927), I offer the following blazon:  Azure, on a cross throughout Or a spear palewise Gules, in dexter canton an open book and in sinister canton a carpenters square all Or.  Krauss (2001) notes that there have been various versions of these arms in use, and without any known fixed blazon its up to the artist...

The arms engraved on the door of the parish house.
Image from Gilliss (1927) p. 68.

Two elements, at least, from these arms help identify the coat as one representing Saint Thomas.  The spear which features most prominently, perhaps, references the saint's impalement.  While seemingly gruesome, this visual reference is very much in keeping with Christian iconography.  For the carpenter's square, Thomas is widely credited as a builder and the charge makes this reference clear.  

The open book found in dexter canton is a reference to the Holy Bible.  The first illustration above shows the entire book (pages and binding) to be gold, whereas the second image of the engraved lock does not.  Giving the disagreement in data, I opted to leave the pages of the book white but edged gold.  As a historical coat and no longer in use, I think this change is permissible  As an aside, there is no geographical reference made in any of the coats of arms here.

No discussion of Saint Thomas' heraldry would be complete without acknowledging the parish's eleventh rector, The Rev. Canon John G.B. Andrew, OBE (1931-2014), who was affectionately called "Manhattan Pursuivant" due to his many designs of arms for US citizens.  English born and ordained in the Church of England, Canon Andrew's love of liturgy helped further the parish's embrace of heraldry as a dignified decoration.

The arms of The Rev. Canon John G.B. Andrew, OBE (1931-2014)
granted by the College of Arms.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The blazon for Canon Andrew's arms:  Or, on a cross saltire Gules two feather quills between two roses all Argent and as many roses Gules.

Canon Andrew's arms were received as a grant from the College of Arms due to his UK citizenship.  At present I do not have a date when he received these arms.  His emblazonment above shows Father Andrew's honor as a canon of the Diocese of New York represented by the galero with three red tassels.

The arms of Saint Thomas Church designed and conveyed
by the College of Arms.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

Canon Andrew arrived at Saint Thomas in 1972, and just three years later, the parish received a coat of arms from London (Krauss, 287).  Designed by the College of Arms in collaboration with Canon Andrew, the arms of Saint Thomas Church were conveyed by letters patent dated 1 December 1975.  I've encountered the good canon's name regarding other US-based organizations with ties to the UK, for example, Andrew is listed as the petitioner on the letters patent for arms assigned to the College of Arms Foundation.  Click here to read more about the arms of the College of Arms Foundation.  

The full achievement of arms.
Image source: Wright (2001).

Krauss (2001) notes that as of 1975, Saint Thomas Church was the first parish in nearly 500 years to receive arms from the heralds' college.   Blazon:  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.

The tincture and metal scheme from Goodhue's design was carried forth in the herald's design as well as the spear.  The field was reversed to gold and the cross made blue.  The open book is now closed and "garnished" making the reference much clearer that this book is the Holy Bible.  Geographically, the books saltirewise mimic the arms of a windsail and nicely reference New York in the most abstract of ways that only heraldry can accomplish. 

The arms of Saint Thomas Choir School
designed in 1963 by The Rev. Canon Edward N. West (1909-1990).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The Saint Thomas Choir School is a gem in the Church's crown, carrying forward the English boy-choir tradition in the American Church.  Established in 1919, the school functions as a boarding school with the added bonus of supplying angelic voices to accompany the rich liturgies throughout the week.  

Krauss (2001) credits the 1963 design for the Saint Thomas Choir School's coat of arms to The Rev. Canon Edward N. West (1909-1990) from the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and the designer of the Anglican compass rose (p. 288). 

The open and inscribed book of Saint Thomas Choir.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As the artist, I took some liberties when creating the open book for the choir school.  Firstly, when a book is blazoned "proper" this usually means that the book is bound by leather and thus various shades of brown are traditionally used.  Because the spear's handle was already "proper" with brown, I opted to use a red for the binding for contrast as well as to match the color of the closed books from the parish's arms.  

An example of how la Rose used symbols to balance text.

I also added a medieval-style whole note to the text for balance.  I learned this method of decoration from none other than Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) who would insert various symbols on inscribed open books for this same reason.  The two whole notes playfully reference the inscription, "sing to the Lord."  I really liked how the book turned out.  

For the inscription, I selected the font Luminari rather than Lombardic (as seen above in la Rose's example) or even my favorite Stempel Schneidler, believing the outlined version of Luminari rendered a clearly readable inscription with style.

Blazon:  "Azure, on a [cross formy throughout Or a] spear palewise proper headed Argent surmounted by an open book displaying the text Cantate Domino" (Krauss, 2001, 288).  The cross must have been accidentally omitted from the published blazon. 

Banners of arms of Saint Thomas Church and its choir school.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I hope you'll come to appreciate the wonderful heraldry of Saint Thomas Church as much I have over the years.  "O God my heart is ready."

Works Cited

Gilliss, F. L. (1927).  A short description of the reredos, wood carvings and other objects of interest in Saint Thomas Church, New York City.  Gilliss Press. 

Krauss, H.E. (2001).  Heraldry at Saint Thomas Church.  In J. Robert Wright (Ed.), Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue (pp. 283-290).  Eerdman's Publishing.

Episcopal Arms from New England

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

It seems rather odd to me that several Episcopal diocesan arms which are nearly impossible to find clean digital emblazonments are from those sees in New England.  Well, that changes now.  

(1) The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut

The Diocese of Connecticut was the first American diocese to receive a grant of arms from the College of Arms in London.  That's right.  With letters patent dated 15 February 1924, the Diocese spent quite some time on the issue of heraldry.  Having initially accepted a design proposal from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), the Diocese bowed to pressure from one of its lay leaders, Robert H. Symonds (1887-1962), who went to extraordinary lengths to convince diocesan leadership to reject la Rose's design proposal.  Furthermore, Symonds paid for the bill from the herald's college in order for the diocese to have arms designed and granted by the heraldic authority.  The result: a rather busy coat.

Diocese of Connecticut coat of arms, granted by the College of Arms.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

Blazon:  Azure, a saltire Argent in chief two swords poments and hilts Or on an ineschuteon sable a key and a pastoral staff in saltire of the third and on a chief also of the third three grape vines fructed and issuing from mounds proper.

Banner of arms, the Diocese of Connecticut.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

(2) The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont

Currently under research.  It is highly likely the arms of the Diocese of Vermont were designed by la Rose given the distinctive use of charging the ends of piles.  I have numerous examples in my data where la Rose uses this method.  For Vermont, it's clear the reference here is to the Green Mountains.  

Diocese of Vermont coat of arms.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Blazon: Argent, three piles from base each ending in a cross formy Vert

(3) The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

This diocesan coat is well known to be from the hand of la Rose, designed in 1906, and among his earliest Episcopal arms.  

Diocese of Massachusetts coat of arms.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Blazon:  Azure, on a pale gules fimbriated argent a sword of the last, the hilt in base or, enfiled with three coronets composed of crosses pattee and fleur-de-lis of the same; in dexter chief a star argent

Banner of arms, the Diocese of Massachusetts
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Design Conformity: The Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC

Banners of arms of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Washington, DC.
Both arms were designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

There stands out one coat of arms which drew wrath from the pen of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) regarding the state of heraldry in the Episcopal Church. The heraldic designer from Harvard made his life's mission to correct the wrongs inflicted by arm chair heralds in the US during the early-to-mid 20th Century and set a new standard for corporate heraldry. The coat of arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC quickly became la Rose's favorite target highlighting the gross misunderstanding shared by many Americans when designing arms.

Excerpt from la Rose (1907): 

Perhaps the worst of all, as even though unconsciously, the most impudent and misleading of American coats [Diocese of Washington, DC]...From the foregoing it will be seen: first, that the dexter impalement of the diocesan arms is an incorrect version of the arms of the kingdom of Jerusalem; and secondly, that in using these arms the diocese and bishop are guilty of a bit of heraldic assumption which even the Patriarch of Jerusalem or the Anglican bishop in Jerusalem would never dream of" (64).

In the same article, the heraldic designer proposed the following revision:

La Rose's (1907) illustrations published in his article.

La Rose's revision appears deceptively simply, yet this coat reveals a level of mastery already at work in his early heraldic career--combining all the desired elements and yet clearly providing geographical identification at the same time.

Arms of George Washington.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The blazon la Rose created for his proposal:  Argent, two bars and in chief, between as many stars, a mural crown of five towers all Gules; on a chief Azure a Jerusalem cross Or (La Rose, 1907).

 

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Sometimes, however, those great designs cannot break through rife heralditis.  As such, the Diocese of Washington, DC would not take action on la Rose's proposal for 39 years.  During its annual convention in 1946 the Diocese would officially adopt la Rose's design (Chandler, 1946).  

Banner of arms for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC
based on la Rose's design.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Now in 2024, some 78 years later, the design of arms for the diocese has not changed, proving la Rose's eye for sensible corporate heraldry.

Works Cited

Chandler, G.M. (1946 December).  Seal of the Diocese of Washington--1946.  Washington Diocese, 5-6.

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.

Bridges & Cantabrigians

The impaled arms of The Rt. Rev. Augustine F. Hickey
as a Domestic Prelate, designed and painted in 1937
by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose.  Source:  The Pilot.

When designing corporate heraldry, providing clear geographical identification through abstraction transforms an otherwise acceptable coat of arms to an extraordinary one.  Heraldic designers who  understand and master this foundational principle, create arms with true carrying power.  In other words, these designs persist, standing the test of time and last.  One such designer, Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), expertly illustrated these skills in nearly all of his corporate work. 

La Rose's original design of arms
for the Archdiocese of Boston.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Based at Harvard, la Rose created numerous arms for Boston area organizations using imagery to reflect the history and topography of one of the nation's oldest cities.  A trimount in base to reference Tremontinensis, an old Latin moniker for Boston, as one example of la Rose's skill used in his design of arms for the Archdiocese of Boston (La Rose, 1911, 5).  Crowns composed of crosses patte and fleurs-de-lis to reference St. Botolph's Town was yet another method la Rose employed for geographical identification in the arms of Boston College (he even used the trimount too).

By 1937, however, we see la Rose shifting gears and getting VERY local with his design of arms for St. Paul's Parish near Harvard Square--the heraldic designer's home parish.  While Brucker (1910) reveals that la Rose was an Episcopalian earlier in his life, at some point he "swam the Tiber" converting to Roman Catholicism.  

St. Paul's Harvard Square was la Rose's spiritual home and place of divine refuge, and whose sanctuary was the final "amen" and venue for the heraldic designer's requiem mass (The St. Louis Review, 7 March 1941).  

The person charged with la Rose's spiritual care was The Rev. Augustine F. Hickey (1883-1972), another Cantabrigian and a rather interesting cleric.  For a recent spotlight on Hickey's life, please read this article in The Pilot.  

Monsignor Augustine F. Hickey (1883-1972)
Source: The Pilot.

On January 18, 1937, Pope Pius XI named Father Hickey a Domestic Prelate, an honorific for Roman clergy and likely triggering an opportunity for la Rose to design a proper coat of arms for his pastor and parish (Wills, 1993, 16).  

La Rose's painting of Hickey's impaled arms above provides the following blazon:  Impaled arms.  Dexter, Gules, an embattled fess enarched Argent, in base barry wavy Argent and Azure and overall a sword in pale Or point to base (St. Paul's Parish).  Sinister, Gyronny of eight Sable and Or, on the first four acorns and on the last as many oak leaves counterchanged (Hickey).  Hickey's Latin motto, Primum Regnum Dei, translates to English as "first, the Kingdom of God."

Without any data, correspondence, or written blazon, la Rose's painting in full color is extremely helpful in piecing together the blazon.      

The arms of St. Paul's Parish (Cambridge, MA)
designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Through his design for St. Paul's Parish, la Rose creatively explores a new method for geographical identification--no trimount or crowns here.  La Rose gets local, extraordinary so, with his design for the parish's arms.  The barry wavy lines in base is a clear reference to the Charles River which separates Boston and Cambridge.  Here's the plot twist.  By 1927, the Charles saw one newcomer bridging these two localities with the completed construction of the John W. Weeks FootBridge.  To render the overpass  abstractly, la Rose judiciously arched an embattled fess providing a heraldic reference for the footbridge.  The newly constructed walkway was not insignificant, for the Weeks Bridge effectively connected Boston directly onto Harvard's original campus.  

Perhaps there is another consideration for la Rose's rationale, as posited by my colleague Joseph McMillan of the American Heraldry Society.  There are examples of la Rose "Americanizing" arms by differencing through tincture or metal changes--the Diocese of Richmond (Virginia) is one such example.  The heraldic designer likely pull inspiration from the established arms of the city council of Cambridge in England.

Arms of the City Council of Cambridge in England.
Source: Wikipedia

The arms of Cambridge were granted from the College of Arms in 1575 and blazoned: "Gules, a bridge, in chief a flower de luce gold between two roses silver on a point wave three boats sable."

Banner of arms of St. Paul's Parish based on la Rose's design.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Dorling (1911) notes that traditionally heralds ascribed arms for St. Paul using Gules (red) for the field along with a sword Argent (silver/white).  La Rose differenced the parish's arms by flipping the sword's metal from silver to gold.  Given the volume of designs he created, la Rose would need multiple methods for showing unification, differencing, and geographical identification in order to render clear, perspicuous arms.

Now in 2024, the arms of St. Paul's have reached a respectable age of 87-years old, proving the foundational principle of corporate heraldic design--well designed arms are lasting cherished symbols beloved by those corporate bodies.  La Rose's work, as seen through the eyes of the 21st Century, continues to both challenge and inspire.

Works Cited

Brucker, A. (1910).  The essentials of ecclesiastical heraldry.  The American Ecclesiastical Review, 42, 190-198.

Dorling, E.E. (1911).  Heraldry of the Church.  Mowbray & Co.

La Rose, P. de C. (1911).  Arms of His Grace the Archbishop of Boston.  The American Ecclesiastical Review, 45(5), 2-11.  

O'Grady, R.M. (2024, June 7).  Msgr. Augustine F. Hickey:  First resident of Regina Cleri.  The Pilot. 

https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.php?ID=197573

The St. Louis Review. (1941, March 7).  Noted exponent of art of heraldry succumbs.  The St. Louis Review, 1(10), 3.

Wills, J. (1993).  The Catholics of Harvard Square.  St. Bede's.