You’ve seen our diocesan coat of arms or crest, but what does it mean?

Have you ever wondered what is the significance and symbolism of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois’ Coat of Arms (Crest)? Where did it come from? Here is an explanation for the diocesan coat of arms as described by Bishop James Griffin in 1924: 

“The main colors — those of the field (background) and the cross are gold and blue.  These were the old heraldic colors of France and the alms of France under which Marquette and Joliet first planted the cross in this region. In honor, therefore, of both Marquette and Joliet, we have a gold field and a blue cross thereupon. In order to express the name of the diocese on the gold field, at each angle of the cross, there is a heraldic fountain or spring. The conventional, rather abstract, middle circular figure represents a fountain, well or spring; it is almost as old as heraldry itself; it consists of a circle filled with six wavy lines or stripes of alternating color of silver (white) and blue, which is the old convention for water. This clearly expresses the name, Springfield.

“The springs are four in number, as were the four rivers of Paradise that were made to flow from the cross and is the four Gospels. In the center of the cross is placed the silver (white) crescent moon which is the symbol in ecclesiastical heraldry for the Immaculate Conception; and as our Lady’s colors are always depicted in blue and silver (white), we already [have] the blue in the cross, the necessary color on which her silver (white) crescent should rest. The entire shield expressed clearly and simply as the abstract conventionalities of heraldry permit, the Church or ecclesiastical jurisdiction of French beginnings established in Springfield under the patronage of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception.”

As for the image with the blue and red jewels that rests above the crest itself, that is a mitre (a bishop’s hat). The mitre is a symbol of a bishop and his authority granted by the pope in his diocese. Most dioceses have this same image or very similar image above their coat of arms.