John Joseph Thomas Ryan

JOHN JOSEPH THOMAS RYAN

Born : November 1, 1913
Deceased : October 9, 2000

Archbishop of Anchorage, 1966-1975
Coadjutor Archbishop of the military, 1975-1985; Titular Archbishop of Gabii
Archbishop of the military, 1985-1991

Archbishop of Anchorage

Archbishop of the military

Origin/meaning

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

The two griffin's heads are based on the arms of a Ryan family from Ireland (not necessarily related to the Archbishop). The Ryan amrs show three silver heads in red and in the arms of the archbishop the colours have been reversed and the lower has been replaced by two crossed swords and a Cross of Jerusalem. The crossing of the swords in this fashion suggests the Greek letter Chi, the inilial letter of Christ in that language. The swords also symbolise the Archbishop's service with the United States Navy as Chaplain of the First Marine Division in the South Pacilic from 1943 to 1946, and the post of Chancellor of the Military Ordinariate from 1957 to 1958.

The Cross of Jerusalem designates the Archbishop's rank of Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, as well as the offices of National Secretary of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association ad President of the Pontifical Mission for Palesline.

The lamb is a symbol for St. Agnes, and refers to the name of the Archbishop's mother.

The motto, "Estote Factores Verbi" is taken from the Epistle of Saint James (l :23).

The achievement is completed with the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of the Holy See, of March 1969, confirmed in March 2001.

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Literature : Information from the Archdiocese of Anchorage