Have you seen the COAT OF ARMS for Pope Francis?
The mitre (three stripes on the hat make it “papal”) and set of keys (papal) indicate this coat of arms belongs to a pope.
The blue shield and star represent Mary. The nard flower (looks like grapes) represents Saint Joseph.
The center of the shield features the seal of the Society of Jesus (or “Jesuits”): IHS surrounded by a sunburst. The IHS monogram is the first three letters in Greek for the name of Jesus. A cross pierces the “H” in red, and there are three black nails under the letters.
Below the seal is Francis’ motto, which is the same motto he previously choose as a bishop: miserando atque eligendo. The Latin text can be translated as, “lowly but chosen.”
The 8th century theologian Saint Bede first coined this Latin phrase in a homily about Jesus’ calling of Saint Matthew. According to Bede, Jesus did not see Matthew merely in the usual sense, but rather through the lens of mercy. This ancient homily marks a watershed moment in the new pope’s own spiritual journey: it was on the feast of Saint Matthew in 1953 that 17-year-old Jorge Bergoglio felt the call to religious life in the footsteps of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
