Armigerous,
to be more precise. To honor my fiftieth
year on this planet, I adopted a coat of arms. How all of that came about was nothing short
of a spiritual journey, which I will share in a subsequent post. For the time being, I present my coat of arms
for your amusement, and an explanation of the significance of its elements for your
edification. The arms were designed by
me and Susi Galloway, and this particular rendition was created by Marco
Foppoli. For those new to the field, the
blazon is the official description of a coat of arms in the language of
heraldry.
The Coat of Arms of
Deacon Michael Andrew Meyer
Blazon: Per saltire Argent, first and fourth Sable, second Gules three bezants, third Gules a fleur de lis Or; overall a sword in pale Argent hilted and pommeled Or point inflamed proper upwards.
Above the escutcheon is placed a broad-brimmed, untassled galero Sable and the cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Motto: Fides et Ratio
Significance: Deacon Meyer’s coat of arms is composed of a field divided into alternate black (Sable) and red (Gules) quarters. The dominant features on the shield are the flaming sword and the saltire (X-shaped cross). The flaming sword is a symbol of Saint Michael the Archangel, while the silver (Argent) saltire is a symbol of Saint Andrew the Apostle. The flame itself is a symbol of light and enlightenment, the Hebrew word for which is meier (מֵאִיר). These three symbols together cant (sing) Deacon Meyer’s name: Michael Andrew Meyer.
Each device on the shield holds several meanings for Deacon Meyer. The sword signifies the Word of God as described in scripture: “Indeed, the word of God is alive and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12) The flame, which appears in the coat of arms of the Diocese of Metuchen, where Deacon Meyer was ordained and serves, is a symbol of charity. The flaming sword is a symbol of justice and order. Thus, the flaming sword, in its components and as a whole, reflects the three duties (munera) of the order of deacons – proclaiming the Word of God, exercising Charity, and maintaining order in Liturgy. The flame also serves as a nod to Saint Lawrence, the patron saint of deacons, who was martyred on a grill over an open fire.
In the right (dexter) quarter of the shield (the left side from the viewer’s perspective), are three bezants (gold byzantine coins), a symbol of Saint Nicholas on whose feast day Deacon Meyer was born. The three coins also recall for Deacon Meyer the treasures of the church – faith, hope and love – and the treasures of his life – his wife and two daughters. In the left (sinister) quadrant of the shield (the right side from the viewer’s perspective), is a gold (Or) fleur de lis. The fleur de lis, which appears in the coat of arms of Immaculate Conception Church, Annandale, NJ, where Deacon Meyer ministers, is a symbol of the Blessed Mother, to whom Deacon Meyer has a particular devotion. It is also an ancient symbol of the Levites – the servants of the Jewish Temple after whom the order of deacons is modeled and the tribe from which Deacon Meyer’s wife is descended.
The colors of the shield hold special meaning for Deacon Meyer as well. Black, silver and red are the colors of the coat of arms of Saint Thomas More, the patron Saint of lawyers, Deacon Meyer’s profession. Black, red, silver and gold also honor Deacon Meyer’s parents and ancestors, as these colors appear in the coats of arms of the regions from which they originated: Rhineland, Germany, Hamburg, Germany, Reggio-Calabria, Italy and County Mayo, Ireland.
For his motto, Deacon Meyer uses the Latin phrase, “FIDES ET RATIO,” which means “FAITH AND REASON.” The motto is taken from Saint John Paul II’s 1998 encyclical of the same title, reflecting Deacon Meyer’s firm conviction that “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” The colors of the shield subtly reflect this motto, with the gold and red light of faith complementing the black and white nature of reason (silver is often depicted as white on a coat of arms).
The achievement is completed with external ornaments: an untassled. black clerical hat, called a “galero,” representing the diaconate in the hierarchy of the clergy, and the red Jerusalem cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, in which Deacon Meyer holds the rank of Knight Commander.
