A few days ago, Rafael Nieto, OARshared an artistic proposal based on the episcopal coat of arms of Robert Prevost, then the new Pope. Today, now that the official coat of arms of Leo XIV is known, he helps us to deepen in its meaning. With his artistic sensibility and his experience in ecclesiastical heraldry, he offers a spiritual and missionary spiritual and missionary reading of a coat of arms that is, more than an image, a pastoral project and a confession of faith..
A shield that condenses a life
The coat of arms of Pope Leo XIV is divided into two fields. In the upper part, a marian blue with a fleur-de-lison the lower one, the burning heart of Saint Augustinecrossed by an arrow and on an open book. As in all the pontifical coats of arms, it is accompanied by the keys of Peter. keys of Peterthe papal tiara and the palliumsymbols of the Petrine office.
“This coat of arms is a visual summary of his life, his spirituality and his vision of the Church”, Rafael points out.
Blue and fleur-de-lis: Mary at the top
The upper field is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to whom Pope Leo XIV consecrates his mission.. Blue is its traditional color, and the fleur-de-lis evokes purity, fidelity and spiritual beauty. purity, fidelity and spiritual beauty.. This detail not only manifests Marian devotion, but also a choice of life: To walk under Mary’s protection, like so many Augustinians over the centuries ..
“Mary is at the top of the shield, as guide, mother and protector”, emphasizes Friar Rafael. “It’s a way of saying: whatever comes, I live under its mantle.”
A heart that burns like that of AgustÃn
In the lower part of the shield we find the Augustinian nucleus: the burning heart, the arrow and the open book.. This ensemble is more than a symbol: it is the soul of the new Pope.
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The heart represents the passionate love of God and neighbor. It is the restless heart of St. Augustine that rests only in Him.
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The arrow represents the Word of Godwhich pierces and illuminates. It is the moment of conversion, of “Take and read” under the fig tree.
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The open book is Scripture, but also the Confessions, the City of God, the whole magisterium that St. Augustine left as an inheritance to the Church.
“It is a heart on fire, pierced and open,” explains Friar Rafael. “That is to say, a heart that loves, that has been touched by God and that gives itself to others.”
“In illo uno unum”: unity as a way of life
The Pope’s episcopal motto – which he has retained as pontiff – is a quote from St. Augustine’s commentary on Psalm 127: In illo uno unum, “In Him who is One, we are one”.
This phrase is a declaration of intentions: to seek unity in a fragmented world, to build communion, to live from within, not from the noise.not from noise.
“The Pope tells us with this motto that unity is not imposed: it is lived from Christ. Only in Him, who is One, can we be one”, reflects Friar Rafael.
The pontifical insignia: united with Peter
The shield includes the three distinctive signs of the Petrine ministry:
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The keys of St. Peterone golden (heavenly authority) and one silver (earthly authority), intertwined with a red cord.
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The tiara or three-crowned miter, representing the pope’s threefold ministry: to sanctify, to govern and to teach.
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The canopyThe pallium, insignia of the Good Shepherd who carries the sheep on his shoulders, an image of tenderness, sacrifice and service.
Also appearing are the infulas -two bands of cloth that hang behind the tiara and symbolize Tradition and Sacred Scripture. Tradition and Sacred Scripturethe Old and New Testaments, the source of the Pope’s authority.
“This ensemble reminds us that the Pope does not act alone, but as the successor of Peter, with the burden of the Gospel and at the service of the People of God”, says Friar Rafael.says Friar Rafael.
A shield that is also a path
This coat of arms is not only decorative. It proposes a path, a program of life and of pontificate.. It speaks of interiority, mission, communion, service and beauty. And it does so from the language of symbols, with the seal of St. Augustine and the gaze of Mary.
“May St. Augustine and St. Monica accompany him; may Our Lady of Consolation protect him; and may God bless the path that Leo XIV begins with fruits of holiness”, concludes Friar Rafael.
A shield to pray, contemplate and live with
From the Order of Augustinian Recollects, we welcome with gratitude and hope this coat of arms as a sign of communion with the new Successor of Peter. May each symbol inspire us to live with a burning heart, our gaze fixed on Mary and our lives centered on Christ.