Archdiocese of Westminster

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ARCHDIOCESE OF WESTMINSTER (Archidioecesis Vestmonasteriensis)

Country : United Kingdom
Denomination : Roman Catholic

Established : 1850

(Old Pattern)

(New Pattern)

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

The Archdiocese was created in the 19th century and thus could not make use of any historical arms. Shortly before 1894 Cardinal Vaughan consulted Charles Alban Buckler, Surrey Herald Extraordinary, about the design of a coat of arms for the See of Westminster. He advised the adoption of a differenced version of the ancient arms of the See of Canterbury. The Cardinal then applied to the Holy See, through the Sacred Congregation for Propagating the Faith, which was at that time responsible for the affairs of the Church in England, for a grant of the proposed arms. Pope Leo XIII consented to this and, on the 22nd July, 1894, the Cardinal was able to write to Mr. Buckler from Archbishop's House : " You were so kind in preparing a Coat of Arms for the Diocese of Westminster that I am sure you will be pleased to see how completely the Holy See has, in the enclosed Decree, accepted your suggestions in all particulars."3 The arms so granted and since used by the See are : Gules, an ancient archbishop's cross in pale Or, over all a pallium Proper. The colour of the field being changed from azure, as found in the arms of the See of Canterbury, to gules in honour of the