Diocese of Baker


DIOCESE OF BAKER

Country : United States
Denomination : Roman Catholic

Established : 1903 as Diocese of Baker City, renamed 1952

Arms (crest) of Diocese of Baker

Official blazon

Azure, on a mountain of three coupeax two lions respectant holding a cross bottony-fitchy all or." Bishop McGrath's personal arms are "Argent, on a cross azure two vested forearms issuing in fess holding in pale a staff flowering in a lily at the top and surmounted of a star all of the first.

Origin/meaning

The diocesan arms were suggested by the the arms of an Irish O’Reilly family, which used two gold lions on a green field holding the familiar ‘hand of Ulster.’ They were chosen as the diocese was erected by Leo XIII, and Charles Joseph O’Reilly was the first bishop: thus one lion may be held to symbolize the Pontiff, Leo, planting the cross in this region (represented by the ‘mountain of three coupeaux,” for the diocesan Mt. Hood) and aided by the first devoted Ordinary, represented by an O’Reilly lion.

Arms of Bishops

Literature : Info Diocese of Baker