Webinar on heraldry in the Catholic Church

A free webinar on ecclesiastical heraldry by Charles A. Gauci, chief herald of arms of Malta at Heritage Malta, will be held on Thursday. 

Ecclesiastical heraldry refers to the symbols used by various Christian denominations to identify the clergy within their respective hierarchies, as well as with their various religious institutions.

The office of the chief herald of arms of Malta has registered and granted arms to clerics of various Christian denominations, based on the traditions of each particular institution.

The webinar will deal specifically with the heraldry of the Catholic Church, with special reference to the Church in Malta. The information that will be shared forms part of a forthcoming book, tentatively titled Heraldry and Death, dealing with the memorial tablets at St Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina.

Although heraldry entered the Church at the same time as it entered other fields of society, the coats of arms of (Catholic) priests differ in several ways from those of lay persons. 

Since medieval European canon law dictated that a priest could not be a soldier, or vice versa, priests had no need for total body armour, and therefore, were not, and indeed are still not, entitled to create arms displaying features such as helms, mantling, torses and crests. These features, all standard components of ‘secular’ coats of arms, were replaced by ecclesiastical hats of various colours, adorned with cords and tassels varying in number and colour depending on the rank of the holder. 

Although heraldry entered the Church at the same time as it entered other fields of society, the coats of arms of (Catholic) priests differ in several ways from those of lay persons

There are conventions as to what symbols (known in heraldry as charges) are permitted for the clergy. The creation of clerical arms that include war-like charges, such as swords, crossbows, maces, bows, arrows, spears and cannons, are somewhat controversial; however, some of these symbols appear in inherited family arms, over which the cleric has no control.

The Catholic Church has followed traditional customs regarding heraldry, rather than strictly enforced laws. However, a more formal system of ecclesiastical heraldry was introduced by the 1905 motu proprio of Pope Pius X, Inter multiplices curas. Following its promulgation, the Heraldic Commission of the Roman Curia was set up to regulate ecclesiastical heraldry, but Pope John XXIII abolished the body in 1960.

In 1968, Pope Paul VI enacted the motu proprio, Pontificalia insignia, that reorganised the Papal Court, abolished several honorary positions and modified ceremonial insignia. The Annuario Pontificio ceased to publish the arms of cardinals and previous popes after 1969. 

The webinar will deal with various elements of ecclesiastical heraldry, including the papal tiara and crossed keys, episcopal and archiepiscopal crosses, the ombrellino, tintinnabulum, mitre, crozier (veiled and unveiled), pallium, coronets and other symbols of nobility in ecclesiastical arms, the insignia of orders of chivalry that priests are allowed to display in their arms, as well as the arms of the leading officials of orders of chivalry directly under the control of the Holy See (the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre and the Teutonic Order).

It will also examine the arms of priests, canons, monsignors, bishops, archbishops, cardinals, patriarchs, abbots, priors and various other ranks, as well as the heraldry of senior female religious (i.e. nuns) in the Catholic Church.

The webinar will be held under the aegis of Heritage Malta.

The webinar is free of charge and will be held on Thursday, June 25, starting at 2.30pm. To register for it, complete the form at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/3cx9v2zv.