Paul D. Etienne

PAUL DENNIS ETIENNE

Born : June 15, 1959
Deceased :

Bishop of Cheyenne, 2009-2016
Archbishop of Anchorage, 2016-2019
Archbishop of Seattle, 2019-present

Bishop of Cheyenne	Archbishop of Anchorage
Archbishop of Seattle

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

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

For his personal arms Archbishop Etienne has chosen a design composed of blue, gold, and silver. In the middle of the shield is a wavy bar, representing the rivers that have passed through various stages of Archbishop Etienne's life; The Ohio, Tiber (Rome), Potomac (Washington, DC), Mississippi (St. Paul), White (Indianapolis), as well as the living stream of life, Jesus Christ.

In the upper half of the shield, a blue five-pointed star and "M" represent Archbishop Etienne’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother. In the lower half of the shield, a gold sword recalls St. Paul, the Archbishop's baptismal patron. The open book represents the Sacred Scriptures and Preaching, the primary tools used to teach and spread the Gospel. The gold colors of the sword and book recall the heritage of both the Etienne (father) and Voges (mother) families.

For his episcopal motto, Archbishop Etienne has chosen the Latin phrase, “VERITAS IN CARITATE” that can be translated as, “TRUTH IN CHARITY.”