Coat of arms of Boston College

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The original Boston College Coat of Arms, as depicted in a window in Burns Library, before the addition of the Religioni et Bonis Artibus scroll

The Boston College shield, as depicted on the east façade of Bapst Library, before the adoption of the full Jesuit badge

The Boston College Coat-of-Arms incorporates the heraldic symbols of knowledge; Boston, Massachusetts; Boston, Lincolnshire; and the Jesuit Order. It is blazoned as follows: On a field gules, above a trimount in base or, an open book argent edged of the second, thereon an inscription αιεν αριστευειν (Ever to Excel); on a chief sable between two crowns composed of alternate crosses patté and fleur-de-lis or, the badge of the Society of Jesus, azure and or.

The tinctures, gules and or, are the heraldic equivalents of the College colors, maroon and old gold. The "trimount," represents the city, Tremont, the old name of Boston, Massachusetts. The open book, symbolic of knowledge, is the central charge of the academic shield. The chief is derived from the arms of old Boston, Lincolnshire, England, (Saint Botolph's Town), a field sable, three crowns, of crosses patté and fleur-de-lis, per pale or; only two crowns are shown, the place of the third being taken by the badge of the Jesuit Order. This badge has a field, azure, rayonne or, enclosing the sacred letters IHS under a cross and above the Sacred Nails, of the second.

The BC seal

The BC shield

The Jesuit badge

On the seal, encircling the shield is a band in maroon edged with gold with the inscription Collegium Bostoniense and Fund. MDCCCLXIII in gold block lettering.

This heraldry-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.