15.01.2023
The Coat of Arms of Bishop Alessandro Giraudo, new Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Turin, Italy, who has been consecrated today, on Saturday, January 15, as the Titular Bishop of Castra Severiana.
The Description of the Coat of Arms of Bishop Alessandro (in Italian)
«D’azzurro, all’àncora d’oro, accollata da una stola sacerdotale di rosso, fimbriata e caricata di due crocette del secondo alle estremità, accompagnata da due gigli e sormontata da una stella d’argento».
Il motto: «ILLE FIDELIS MANET» (2 Tm 2,13)
Per il proprio motto episcopale il Vescovo Giraudo ha scelto queste parole tratte dalla seconda Lettera di Paolo a Timoteo, laddove l’Apostolo afferma che anche quando noi manchiamo nella fede, Cristo invece rimane sempre fedele e questa affermazione è un’esortazione tesa a considerare la forza della grazia che è nel Signore e che supera le nostre manchevolezze.
Lo scudo
L’àncora è uno dei più antichi simboli dell'arte cristiana, è un peso che mantiene ferma e sicura la nave ed è quindi sinonimo di fermezza e di fede. Essa rappresenta la certezza della fede in Cristo e qui è in analogia con il motto.
È simbolo di stabilità, dimensione spesso ricercata dai fratelli meno fortunati, in balìa delle tempeste della vita e delle ansie che i dolori, la solitudine, le guerre e i soprusi da loro sopportati originano.
La stola sacerdotale che scende dalla cima dell’àncora identifica la peculiare attenzione e dedizione dell’uomo di Chiesa a lenire i disagi dei fratelli sofferenti.
La stella, simbolo mariano diffuso nell’iconografia cristiana, vuole qui richiamare la Consolata, Patrona di Torino.
I gigli costituiscono riferimento al nome del Vescovo, Alessandro. Infatti Sant’Alessandro, già alfiere della legione Tebea, subisce il martirio per decapitazione in quanto cristiano e la tradizione vuole che dalle gocce del suo sangue cadute a terra nascessero dei gigli.
L’azzurro è il colore simbolo della incorruttibilità del cielo, delle idealità che salgono verso l’alto; rappresenta il distacco dai valori terreni e l’ascesa dell’anima verso Dio.
Il rosso è il colore dell’amore e del sangue, l’amore intenso e assoluto del Padre che invia il Figlio, a versare il proprio sangue per la nostra redenzione.
L’àncora è in oro, il primo tra i metalli nobili, simbolo quindi della prima delle virtù: la fede. È grazie alla fede che possiamo comprendere il mistero di salvezza richiamato da tale simbolo.
15.01.2023
The Coat of Arms of Bishop Donatien Francis Randriamalala, who has been consecrated today, on Saturday, January 15, as the next Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ambanja, Madagascar.
15.01.2023
The Coat of Arms of the Lutheran Bishop Marika Markovits, who has been consecrated today, on Sunday, January 15 as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Linköping, Sweden (Church of Sweden).
14.01.2023
The Coat of Arms of Bishop Dominic Eibu, who has been consecrated today, on Saturday, January 14, as the next Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kotido, Uganda.
Central Theme in My Coat of Arms is “Console My People,” says Bishop Elect of Kotido Diocese.
The Bishop Elect of Uganda’s Kotido Diocese Monsignor Dominic Eibu (MCCJ) who was appointed by Pope Francis in the month of October 2022 has explained the central theme in his Coat of Arms as “Console My People”, a significant theme showing God’s presence amongst His people as the source of hope and consolation.
In an interview with AMECEA Online correspondent on Thursday 29th December 2022, he mentioned that he used the same theme during his ordination to priesthood and that he thought it is timely that the theme will be more relevant in the lives of the people he is going to shepherd in Kotido Diocese.
The Bishop Elect who is also a member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) further went on to explain that the theme chosen is also an indication that with God, everything can be made possible, sharing that the theme depicts that his presence is a sign that the people he is going to serve as a bishop are loved and that their story can change with presence of God among them.
He went on to explain other features like the Cross, Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Eucharist in his Episcopal Coat of Arms with particular meaning that will guide him in his ministry as a bishop.
Beginning with the Cross, he said it is a point where our redemption originated from because of the death of Jesus on the Cross and it is the center of our salvation.
He added that on the Cross, we find the gift of life, forgiveness of sins, hope and Mother Mary that Jesus Christ offered to people while on the Cross.
The second symbol is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove taken as the protagonist of the mission of the church when we cooperate, we receive many gifts like that of wisdom, courage, and others that can only come to be realized later like peace and others that empowers the people to be confident in the church’s mission as Christ promised that the Holy Spirit the Father will send in His name, will be with the people forever and will teach and remind them all He taught as we find in the Gospel of John 14:26.
According to Monsignor Eibu the Bishop elect, the third symbol in his Coat of Arms is the Eucharist with its significance of being the center of the Mission because our life as Christians is rooted in the Eucharistic since Christ promised that those who partake His Body and Blood will have life, the reason why celebrating the Eucharist with devotion, Eucharistic adoration, love and faithfulness to the mission in the church will be the center of his ministry as a bishop.
He further informed AMECEA Online correspondent that following the spirituality of Comboni Missionaries, he has chosen the symbol of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that shows the passion, the love our Savior has for humanity, the same love he expects to help him embrace people of all walks of life in his ministry as a bishop with zeal, and strength from Christ in the Eucharist and guidance from the Holy Spirit.
When asked to share how he will start his pastoral ministry in Kotido diocese, he responded by saying, at the moment there may be many needs in the diocese, but that what is important is for people to be taught to know how to live their Christian faith in unity with one another in God.
The Bishop elect who will be consecrated and enthroned on 14th January 2023 disclosed that with the faith in God and cooperation from the people, the flock should be ready to move as a family because God knows how to guide His people in every step they take in their Christian life.
End