Which coat of arms symbols are forbidden for Catholics and why? Is it worth for saints to create the personal coats of arms today?

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Some personalities and institutions (including Bishops, Priests/Universities, Dioceses) create the coats of arms for themselves, and for institutions.
Sometimes the craftsmen work on the heraldic symbols take a years years until they accomplish them.
The experts in this art believe that the transformation of traditional heraldic symbols has occurred , especially in 21 century.
But, are there coat of arms symbols that are forbidden for Catholics?
And, when nowadays the priest or High Bishop create the Coat of arms personally for themselves what spiritual benefit or goal they pursue?
I am sure they deserve to invest in eternity, but is it not some sort of self-glorification?
It’s like to create the eternity monument for yourself while you are still alive, no?
 
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Well… it’s hard to legislate good taste. 😉

The rules of good heraldry and good art are generally going to help you through most of your territory. If you’re going to do something “bad” with your heraldry, you have to work very hard at being deliberately offensive.

That said, there’s a lot of heraldry that’s pretty insipid. But that’s more like, “We need a coat of arms!” “Yeah, cool idea!” And then either not knowing the rules of good heraldry, or the rules of good art. 🙂 Sometimes it doesn’t turn out right because the symbols chosen are cliche, and sometimes it doesn’t turn out right because the person/institution likes 15 things, and wants every single one of them represented on the arms…

Ecclesiastical heraldry is its own thing. In general, it’s not as big a thing as it was even 100 years ago.

Heraldry has always been a way to identify a thing as belonging to a person or an entity— whether it’s “my servants” or “my possessions”, in the case of an individual, or “my territory” in the case of an entity. (Much like a flag.)

Nowadays, personal ecclesiastical heraldry is mostly a way for an incoming prelate to display, “This is what’s important to me, and what I want to emphasize.”

If you look at the actual ecclesiastical heraldry, the symbols are primarily religious/spiritual— M’s for Mary, crosses, Sacred Hearts, anchors, shells, doves, tree branches, flames, doves, Chi-Rho’s, roses, etc.
 
Athanasiy said:
But, are there coat of arms symbols that are forbidden for Catholics?
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I don’t think the Church has any teaching or discipline on what constitutes legitimate matter for a coat of arms. Anything indecent or blasphemous would be sinful, not because it profanes a coat of arms, but because it constitutes indecent or blasphemous self-expression, a type of speech, if you will.
 
For example the snake is the symbol of pharmaceutical (medical) society.
The horns, probably means nothing bad for the people who are proud of their viking heritage.
But, in 21st century there are masonic and pseudo masonic clubs that entered among christian spiritual elites, and it is impossible to discern between hidden meanings and symbols.
Among followers of Christ there are dedicated followers of political systems, and morally destructive eschatological theories.
Well, it was always like this, but before Masonic clubs were not so much involved in Catholic priestly surroundings.
I am just curious.
Also, there are Bishops who invest in eternity by building their high esteem serving the Empires, and building own coats of arms.
I don’t know, may be for Puritans pesants mind it sounds perplexing.
The spiritual authorities in Catholic surrounding dedicate their souls for earthly kingdoms with guaranteed assurance that they will shine as Saints in heavenly kingdom.
Sometimes I just remind these verses:
"That which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God . “He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men , but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight,” (Lk16: 15).
 
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Athanasiy said:
For example the snake is the symbol of pharmaceutical (medical) society.
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One snake is the Staff of Asclepius. (Greek god of Medicine.) Two snakes is the Caduceus, the Staff of Mercury. (Snakes being associated with healing powers-- they shed their skin, their venom is used for poison as well as healing. And Mercury being associated with the Elixir of Life.) Medical associations have used both symbols (one snake/two snakes) in their logos at various times.

In that particular case, I’d interpret it more as a classical reference, rather than a pagan homage, let alone a celebration of the serpent associated with the Fall.

But not all snakes are bad. Even Jesus told his disciples,
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
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So as a result of that, snakes are a legitimate symbol of wisdom/shrewdness in judgment, rather than merely being associated with the destructive knowledge from eating from the Tree.
 
Athanasiy said:
Also, there are Bishops who invest in eternity by building their high esteem serving the Empires, and building own coats of arms.
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Arms aren’t something you build yourself, although you may have a hand in designing them.

Arms are something that’s granted from a higher authority.

Yes, there are online businesses, I’m sure, where you can pay $50 to register your coat of arms in their Roll of Arms, and there are games you can play that maintain their own Rolls of Arms for fun, but in general, we’re talking about ecclesiastical heraldry and legitimate armorials. Which is totally different from vanity arms, or games/clubs that use heraldry for color and visual interest.
 
Sorry, I grew up in a baptist community during Soviet Union, just before the collapse.
That was equality era including for evangelical brothers.
Today’s symbols on a coat of arms are meant to represent the achievements of the person, state, or corporation to whom or which the arms were granted, but the feature of Baptists of Soviet Era were simplicity, humility about your self, and less puff and more hidden deeds to be seen by God.
Baptists, Evangelicals, in my country until this day have only diacons (who serve with communion, and visit the members with communion once a month), humble pastors and preachers.
Therefore since the Coat of arms, glorification of titles and ranks among priests sometimes difficult to grasp.

Secondly, may be I am sinner.
Hidden Marxist, who in my worthless soul only jealous at the people of success and unthankfully demand equality and large piece of pie for myself too.
That is why God in different ways teaches me all my life - humility, submition, and to respect the authorities.
But at least political elites are so corrupted in my country that its so difficult to respect the authorities.
 
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May be instead of being always submitted servants of governments,and Empires, the great spiritual personalities should get more closer to their people.
Some try to change the elites but eventually conforming to the corrupted elites world order.
More criticism of ruling authorities is needed from the spiritual personalities.
We even need more John’s Baptists nowadays.
Otherwise the reality of life leads to rebellions and revolutions.
Or to the world as described in this sonnet of Shakespeare.

 
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I have a coat of arms. I thought about what went into it for a while. I chose the charges on it as a reminder of where I’ve come from and what went into forming me as a priest. The motto is a reminder of the friends who have shaped my vocation.

I’ve designed coats of arms for priests and parishes, sometimes for money. One priest friend said of the design process that it was almost a prayer, trying to discern what really stood out to him that he wanted to put on it. And indeed it is a spiritual experience for me when I’m designing, to take the various elements and try to produce something beautiful, simple, and meaningful. Heraldry is a beautiful subject and one that I think can be very spiritually beneficial. Several of the saints, and not just those who were Popes and Bishops, had them. St Therese famously designed one for herself.

-Fr ACEGC
 
midori said:
Arms are something that’s granted from a higher authority.
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Only in countries that have a heraldic authority of some kind. In the United States, there isn’t one, so you are free to adopt a coat of arms as you see fit.
 
Forbidden? Well, I sincerely doubt it was ever proposed, but the Masonic icon would not be allowed, for example. Depictions of the devil as anything other than what he is would not even be considered. Otherwise,“forbidden” does not seem to apply.
 
But I think this is Catholic perspective.
Catholic nature.
Its a formation and sanctification of a masterpiece of certain category.
And yes, afterwards the generations of people try to be similar with that Saint or institution, or they ask particular saints for help.

May be there is something about it in Revelation.

I reminded–the hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name.
“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17.
“The hidden manna gives vitality and life and is something that you already receive in this life. It corresponds to your hidden life: that place inside where no one knows what is going on except for you and God.” ( I quote from Christian source online)

But I wonder, what is the Coat of arms of Mother Tereza.
She served among those who were most neglected and forgotten.
 
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I’m not sure what the book of Revelation has to do with any of this, nor what you mean by “this is the Catholic perspective.” Look up Bruno Heim, a Papal diplomat and heraldry expert, for the Catholic perspective on these things.

And it wasn’t Mother Teresa, but St Therese of Lisieux I was talking about. She devised one for herself and one for her Divine Spouse.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
Check out this blog, that of Fr. Guy Selvester, a heraldic expert in his own right.

exarandorum.com

EXARANDORUM

Fr. Guy Selvester's blog of Ecclesiastical Heraldry
exarandorum.com exarandorum.com

It includes a section of the coats of arms of saints:

exarandorum.com

Saints – EXARANDORUM

Posts about Saints written by guyselvester
exarandorum.com exarandorum.com
 
It sounds to me like you might be struggling with excessive attachment to equality among people. I dealt with the same thing for years. Of course, God loves each of us infinitely. But at the same time, He has granted some more gifts and abilities than others. So a coat of arms points to higher ideals that may draw a community together around a leader and help focus their efforts. As physical beings it can be helpful to make abstract ideas like love and peace concrete with pictures of hearts and doves, and putting them on a coat of arms helps us remember, “Hey, this means something and I have to keep focused on this.” In a way it’s an act of humility because it puts our ideals out in the open and helps us remember that their are higher things than our own individual whims of the moment, and that some things are eternal.
 
In that case . . .

Fr. Edward George, iconographer 🤣🤔

[and for those unfamiliar with the concept, and without denigrating religious art, icons are not art. Rather, they are prayers in their own right, and when we “reverence” them, it is an effort to join in that prayer, as they are a type of “window” between heaven and earth. That said, there are other threads on the topic, and this s not the place for further discussion.]
 
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