Daniel Edward Thomas

DANIEL EDWARD THOMAS

Born : June 11, 1959
Deceased :

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, 2006-2014
Bishop of Toledo, 2014-present

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

Bishop of Toledo

Origin/meaning

As common in US episcopal heraldry, the arms show the arms of the diocese impaled with the personal arms of the bishop.

The colors that Bishop Thomas has chosen for his coat of arms allude to the arms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, where the primary tinctures are also silver and blue. The shield is divided quarterly or per cross, recalling the words of Saint Paul: "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).

The lions on the shield recall Bishop Thomas' baptismal patron saint, the Prophet Daniel. The Book of Daniel (6:2-29) relates how King Darius forbade his subjects - including the Isrealites in exile in Babylon - to pray to any god or power other than himself for thirty days. When Daniel was found praying to the Lord, he was thrown into a den of lions. The next day he emerged alive and "unhurt because he trusted in God" (Daniel 6:24).

The face that there are two lions makes thhese canting arms. The bishop's family name, Thomas, is a Greek name meaning "twin". The "twin" lions on the shield thus reflect the meaning of the name Thomas.

The motto, placed on a scroll below the shield, also calls to mind the story of Saint Thomas. Although disbelieving at first, when Saint Thomas beheld the risen Lord Jesus he confessed his faith declaring, "Dominus meus et Deus meus" - "My Lord and my God."

Literature:

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