DIOCESAN SHIELD & COAT OF ARMS

THE DIOCESE OF CYPRUS AND THE GULF’S BLAZON OF ARMS

From Canterbury

The y– shaped pairle wavy, a variation of the pallium on the Arms of Canterbury, in gold (Or). Canterbury also has four small crosses (paty fitchy). Quite incidentally these four little Greek crosses give the pallium a striking resemblance to the promotion worn by Orthodox bishops, thus lending a happy ecumenical appearance to the shield.

For the Gulf

The gold (Or) tinctured pallium with wavy outlines against the silver (Argent) and blue (Azure) background, suggests the coastline and general topography of the Gulf. In the upper parts of the shield, against the Red (Gules) background, are two more heraldic symbols to indicate the Gulf – the Eastern crown with five points in Or, and the fountain, represented heraldically, by a circle with wavy lines, Or and Vert (green), a significant colour in Islam.

From Jerusalem

The Jerusalem Cross with the central cross and the four letter crosses scattered from the cross potent: the four little crosses establishing the link between Canterbury and Jerusalem.

From Cyprus

The island is signified by two lions rampant and crowned, facing each other on a background of the Lusignan arms. Lions first came to Cyprus in 1191 with Richard 1 of England – he had two on his shield. The Lusignans were here 1192 – 1489 and their shield showed one lion. Except under the Turkish occupation, there have been lions ever since. They are crowned a kingly symbol. There have been kings in Cyprus for nearly 3,000 years. The whole is surmounted by the Bishop’s mitre, indicating that it is a Diocesan coat of Arms.
(A simplified version of the description ‘Winged Words to Get it Across’ by Bishop Leonard Ashton (London, Churchman Publishing 1990) by kind permission of the author.)

THE CATHEDRALS

St. Paul’s Nicosia is the Mother Church of the Diocese (1976). St. Christopher’s, Bahrain, is the Mother Church of the Gulf (1986). Other earlier connections are with London, Lahore (Pakistan), Jerusalem and Cairo.