The achievement of arms appearing in The Sunday Times of November 29 are those of an archbishop, as may be readily ascertained from the colour green and the number of tassels on either side of the arms.

The lowest row has four tassels, on each side, which from 1832 was laid down by the Vatican as the appropriate number for an archbishop (five for a cardinal in red, three for a bishop in green).

The manner of showing ecclesiastic arms on an oval is based on the premise that the clergy (like ladies) don't fight, so their arms should not be depicted on a shield. Clerics should use ovals or banners and ladies lozenges.

The hat above the arms immediately indicates the calling of the bearer of the arms, and although the actual wearing of the hat has gone into abeyance, many of us still remember priests wearing the black hat and bishops and archbishops the green one. This green remains in the cord and tassel which members of the clergy enjoying episcopal rank still wear today.

There is also a cross behind the shield, just visible between the hat and the oval; this has an additional horizontal bar than is normally the case with a simple cross. Three horizontal bars normally indicates a patriarchate, and two an archdiocese.

In Malta and Gozo we do not have diocesan arms but use the personal arms of the incumbent. It shows that the bearer of the arms is actually in possession of his see and not a titular archbishop.

Coming now to the oval bearing the arms. In the upper half it has a white woollen stole with black crosses on it. This is a pallium, which is very old and predates heraldry. It is the personal gift of the Pope and is given only to clerics of episcopal rank by the Holy Father personally.

The arms are similar to those in the lapidary of the cathedral where they commemorate Archbishop Dom Maurus Caruana.

It is interesting to recall that Mgr Caruana was Malta's first Benedictine monk, and also the first Benedictine to be bishop of Malta since 1511.

More on ecclesiastic heraldry can be found in the works of Bishop Bruno Heim and Michael Francis McArthy.