Heraldry at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine

In early April, I toured the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC, with the St. Nicholas Society of NY. Our guide, the excellent and well-informed Father Thomas Pike, led us through the length and breadth of the building, where I took photos of most of the shields embedded in the floor (having wandered away on my own, no disrespect intended). I also photographed the baptistry. Here are a few images, with more to come.

First, here is the Stuyvesant shield from the baptistry:

The inscription reads: "This baptistry is erected to the glory of God and in loving memory of Augustus Van Horne Stuyvesant and Harriet Le Roy Suyvesant by their children Catherine E.S. Stuyvesant, Augustus Van Horne Stuyvesant Jr. and Anne W. Stuyvesant. Dedicated anno Domini MCMXXVIII.

The motto, I believe, reads: "Jovae praestat filere quam homini." The best translation I can give is "In excellence as possible by man," which is not elegant. [Man should strive for excellence?] Does anyone have a better one? I'd be grateful ... This is the same inscription that appears on the tomb of Rutherford Stuyvesant.

Here are two shields sent into the floor of a side aisle:

This is a stripped-down version of the arms of the City of Cologne, Germany, emphasizing the Three Kings, but without the eleven flames that are said to signify Saint Ursula.

The bones of the Three Kings (Magi) are said to be kept in a golden tomb in Cologne Cathedral. I leave it to you to discover whether this is true, though the story has its roots as far back as the twelfth century.

Finally for today, here is a rendering of the arms of the municipality of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain:

This rendering features the tomb of St. James, strongly associated with this city, and the star shining above his resting place. Omitted are the Host, chalice, and seven crosses that appear on the left side of the arms of the city. What you see above appears on the right half (as you view it) of the shield.

Comments, corrections, additions, anyone? Always grateful for your time and consideration.

A very happy Easter to all!

Down to Montevideo

Here are the arms of the City of Montevideo, Uruguay, as depicted on #1 Broadway

Photograph by Floyd Smith Sanford, III

and on an image I grabbed (with appropriate permissions, of course) from Wikipedia. If anyone has a more traditional rendering, please let me know and I will be happy to post it.


These arms depict "el Cerro" (the hill) with the city's grand fortess and lighthouse. The motto, attributed to Jose Gervasio Artigas, translates as "With liberty I neither offend nor fear."

José Gervasio Artigas Arnal (June 19, 1764 - September 23, 1850) is a important national figure, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan independence." You can read more about the country, its culture, and people at http://www.turismo.gub.uy

Liverpool Conundrum - Solved!

Heartfelt thanks to heraldist Luc Duerloo of Antwerp (and, frequently, Connecticut) for emailing the answer to my question of July 2 about the Liverpool arms:

"The arms depicted are not quite those of the city (granted in 1797). They are, in fact, the arms of the Church of England bishopric granted in 1882. The blazon reads: argent, an eagle rising sable, beaked and legged and a glory round the head or, holding in the dexter claw an inkhorn proper; a chief per pale azure and gules, charged on the dexter side with an open book or, inscribed in letters sable 'Thy word is truth' and on the sinister side an ancient ship with three masts, sails furled, also or."

It is fantastic that heraldry professionals and lovers of the art communicate across the globe about intriguing puzzles, discoveries, and mysteries. Luc, thank you for your illuminating information. I know that the visitors to this blog will appreciate your knowledge and interest. Luc is a member of a new group on Facebook, New York City Heraldry. If you would like to join the group, log on and search for the group by name or look for me as the Administrator.

A happy Independence Day to all! Stay tuned for a post about an element of Huguenot art that became a defining symbol of the United States.

Welcome!

This is the first post in my new blog about heraldry in New York City. I will post photos of interesting and little-known heraldry and explanations as I find them. I welcome your comments.