Coat of arms of the Holy See
Appearance
Coat of arms of the State of Vatican City | |
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Shield | Gules, two keys in saltire Or and argent, interlaced in the rings gules/Or, beneath a tiara argent, crowned Or |
The coat of arms of the State of Vatican City is blazoned gules, two keys in saltire Or and argent, interlaced in the rings gules/Or, beneath a tiara argent, crowned Or. Thus it is simply the emblem of the Papacy (emblem of the Holy See) displayed on a red field with the positions of the gold and silver keys reversed.
Symbolism
- The crossed keys of gold and silver symbolise the keys of the kingdom of heaven promised to Saint Peter, with authority to bind and loose (Matthew 16:18–19).
- The triple crown (the tiara) represents "the three powers of the Supreme Pontiff: Sacred Orders, Jurisdiction and Magisterium",[1] in other words: his functions as "supreme priest", "supreme pastor" and "supreme teacher".
- The gold cross surmounting the triple crowns symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus.
References
External links
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