Investiture: The Order of St. John

St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Photo by the Author.

This past Saturday was an especially memorable one for me as I gathered with other Confrères from across the US Priory for our investiture into the Order of St. John.  The service of investiture and rededication is an annual event for the US Priory rotating through major metropolitan areas across the US each fall.  Fortunately, my favorite city was selected for 2024--New York City with St. Thomas Church hosting the service.

Our Lady of Fifth Avenue inside St. Thomas Church.
Photo by the Author.

I love St. Thomas for so many reasons, the liturgy, the boys choir, the architecture, and of course heraldry.  Most especially and most holy for me, however, is always lighting a candle at the shrine of Our Lady of Fifth Avenue asking the Blessed Virgin to intercede for me and my loved ones.   

Quiet moments before the service.
Photo by the Author.

One interesting bit of the service related to heraldry.  During the service the priory retired two banners which had the older Royal crest using St. Edward's crown and blessed two newer banners using the Tudor crown chosen by H.M. King Charles III.  

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

The UK's Government recently posted a helpful lesson on the difference between these two crowns.  Please click here to learn more about the recent switch in crowns.

My decoration as a Member.

As luck would have it, St. Thomas had curated a special exhibit showcasing art in the service of the Lord through various media.

The parish's letters patent were on display.  The artist workmanship is exquisite. 

A new badge!

Father Andrew's cope resplendent with heraldry.

And as final course, I found an emblazonment of Bertram Goodhue's first design of arms for St. Thomas embedded in the floor of the narthex.  

Click here to learn more about the heraldry of St. Thomas Church.

Armorial Ensigns of the Lesser Known

Arms of the Institutum Divini Thomae.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As a follow up to my previous post showcasing emblazonments of several Ivy League schools and other prominent academic institutions, I felt it was only fitting to highlight arms from equally noble institutions likely unknown to some.

I am thrilled to present for the first time in digitized full-color, the arms of the Institutum Divi Thomae.  Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the institute was a scholarly venture of the Roman Catholic Church focusing on scientific research.  Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) designed the arms for the institute in 1936 with a few unique marks of identification.  The inscription on the open book reinforces this mission, while the sun in splendor in dexter canton references St. Thomas Aquinas.  

Blazon:  Or, on a cross Gules an open book edged with two clasps Or inscribed Religio Scientia between four bezants, in dexter canton a sun Gules.

It truly brings joy creating arms knowing its the first time the design joins the digital age.

Arms of Rice University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

Rice University was designed in 1912 by la Rose--his first design for a secular institution.  La Rose's blazon for the arms of Rice University:  Azure, two chevronels Argent between as many Athenian Owls Argent.

Groton School coat of arms.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The famous American architect and father of "collegiate gothic," Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942) designed the arms for Groton School in 1904.  Located in Groton, Massachusetts, the school's coat of arms is blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Gules a sword in pale point to base with hilt ensigned of a coronet all of the field, on a chief Sable three open books of the field.

Arms of Bryn Mawr College.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Bryn Mawr College are quite striking to say the least.  Designed in 1904 by the College of Arms in London--designed, no grant as far as I know--the arms are blazoned:  Per pale, Or and Ermine three owls proper.

College of Arms you say working with a US college in 1904?  According to the College, yes.  I will definitely want to see if these arms were granted.  My hunch is that a herald did the design work and dispensed with all the legalities, etc.

Arms of the University of Washington St. Louis.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

The University of Washington St. Louis bears arms layered with identification. Designed in 1897 by Professor Holmes Smith, the arms are blazoned: Argent, on two bars Gules an open book bearing the motto PER VERITATEM VIS, in chief three stars of five points and in base as many fleurs de lys Vert.

Banner of arms, University of Washington St. Louis.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

The coat of arms of Washington & Lee University, located in Lexington, Virginia, may be unfamiliar to many.  Designed in 1901 by chemistry professor William George Brown, the quartered arms combine a lot of imagery for identification.

Arms of Washington & Lee University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Blazon for the arms of Washington & Lee University:  Quarterly. 1st Azure open book Argent thereon inscribed OMNIA AUTEM PROBATE. 2nd Argent two bars in chief three mullets Gules (Washington). 3rd Gules a fess chequy Azure and Or between ten billets Argent, four in chief, three, two, and one in base (Lee). 4th Azure a cinquefoil pierced Argent, a bordure engrailed Ermine.

The coat of arms of Washington & Lee University, with crest and motto.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Banner of arms of Washington & Lee University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I will say, the university's arms are most attractive when rendered as an amorial banner.

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

The arms la Rose designed for the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont are simple and clear.  Sadly, however, one cannot find a decent emblazonment anywhere until now.

If you guessed that the piles reference Vermont's Green Mountains then you're well on your way in learning la Rose's methods.  I'm glad to now have a good emblazonment of these lovely arms.   

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The following three arms below were designed by la Rose and perhaps represent his most controversial work in the 21st Century.  The arms of Grace Hopper College at Yale were not designed by la Rose, but I want to showcase these new arms.  All three of la Rose's designs have been retired and I wanted to ensure their conservation.  

As our collective social consciences woke to finally acknowledge the pain and struggles our sisters and brothers of color endure in the US every day, institutions nationwide took a deep internal look at names and symbols that no longer represent everyone in their constituencies.  Colleges and universities--especially--removed names from institutions and buildings and even retired logos and symbols too.

My efforts to preserve these designs stem purely from a heraldic perspective and scholarship.

Arms of Calhoun College at Yale (since been renamed).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

The arms of Calhoun College, the name of a former undergraduate residence at Yale, were designed by la Rose in 1931 and simply blazoned:  Argent, a saltire engrailed Sable; a chief of the arms of Yale.  The namesake of the residence had ties to slavery and thus Yale retired the name as well as the arms.  

The new arms of Grace Hopper College at Yale.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Calhoun was replaced with Grace Hopper for the residential college.  The new arms of Grace Hopper College became official in 2017 and blazoned:  Azure semé of Plates and Billets Argent a Dolphin embowed Or; on a Chief Argent a Fess engrailed Sable.

Former arms of Kirkland House at Harvard.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

La Rose designed the arms for Kirkland House at Harvard in 1931.  The design in recent years caused a stir, as many at Harvard believed Kirkland's arms too closely resembled the Confederate flag.  Thus, these arms were effectively retired and new design ushered in.

Former arms of Harvard Law.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As part of his heraldic program for Harvard's Tercentenary celebrations in 1936, la Rose devised arms for all the schools of university.  The arms of Harvard Law, however, would become a lightening rod for controversy and effectively retired in 2016.  The issue:  the three gold garbs of wheat representing Isaac Royall, Jr., whose family had owned slaves.  In 2021, the law school unveiled new arms. 

Armorial Ensigns of the Well-Known

Arms of several Ivy League schools.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

This weekend I was able to scratch off several more projects, including these emblazonments.  Certainly well known, no doubt.

Arms of Princeton University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I was actually a bit surprised with how my version of Princeton's arms turned out.  The tenne, or orange "stain," looks like stain to me!

Arms of the University of Pennsylvania.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024. 

And since both Princeton and UPenn share basically the same field division (chevron and chief), these two arms came together in vector format rather quickly.

Arms of Brown University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Brown University's coat of arms are rather simple and quite lovely as such--I especially like how the open books are blazoned in red.  In rendering their arms in my heater shield shape, it is acceptable to have the sizes of the charges in base be smaller than their chiefly counterparts.

Arms of Stanford University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

While I previously shared my emblazonment for Stanford University's arms, it only seems fitting to include those here--the "Harvard of the West Coast."

I wanted to get the arms of Cambridge and Oxford completed as well.  

Honestly, I feel like the sky is my limit now when considering which heraldic projects to tackle next.  Practicing with all these well-know arms has been great to learn my software (and more importantly, patience).

Arms of Cambridge University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Arms of Oxford University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Mission Digital: Preserving Arms From the Past II

Arms of the City of Kinston, NC designed by the College of Arms.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I'm thrilled to share several more armorial ensigns that are seemingly impossible to find.  By recreating these coats of arms in vector format and sharing here, its my sincere hope that we can prevent their extinction.   

The arms of the City of Kinston in North Carolina is one such case and these arms will soon get a post of their own.  So for now, enjoy!

Arms of the National Student Council of the Episcopal Church.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of the National Student Council of the Episcopal Church have been covered previously.  These arms represent Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's first national design for the Episcopal Church.  Years later, la Rose would render the ultimate design creating the Episcopal Church's own coat of arms.  Please click here to read more about these arms.

Arms of the Catholic Church Extension Society.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Next up, we have the arms la Rose designed for the Catholic Church Extension Society, an early national design for the Roman Catholic Church in the US.  These arms have previously been covered (but not emblazoned!).  Please click here to read more about these arms.  

Arms of Lancaster Catholic High School.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Lancaster Catholic High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania are among my favorites designed by la Rose.  Designed between 1928-1930, the school's arms are harmonious, simple, and layered with richness--incorporating the Lancaster rose is brilliant!  Again, rather difficult to find a good rendering out in the wilds of the Internet.

Freshly digitized in vector, several arms of Episcopal Preparatory Schools.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I was never happy with my renderings for St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire as well as St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island.  Both arms were designed by la Rose and I felt I had not done justice to his brilliant design work.

Now in vector format, I can say that I'm pleased and ready to put these designs to aside!  Click here to read about la Rose's work with these three schools.

From L-R:  Arms of Kenyon College and its foundation, Bexley Hall Seminary.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio has a lot of terrible renderings of its arms, most completely ignore the one published blazon I was able to find.  Additionally, Kenyon College established Bexley Hall Seminary as a school to train future clergy in the Episcopal Church.  The seminary's arms are all but extinct, so I went ahead and rendered these in vector format.  

These two armorial ensigns hold immense historical importance as they represent the first known design in US scholastic heraldry using a unifying chief (showing allegiance with the corporate sole).  I've written about both arms and click here to learn more.

La Rose 1921 proposed design for national arms for the Episcopal Church.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Finally, I'm sharing my emblazonment of la Rose's proposed national arms for the Episcopal Church submitted in 1921.  I've covered these arms previously in retelling the complete story of how the Episcopal Church received her own coat of arms.  Please click here to read more.