Medieval Heraldry was developed to allow easy visual recognition of combatants on the battlefield. Later, Heraldry expanded to include whole families, countries, and institutions in its system of symbolic representation. Medieval universities were granted Arms by the governing rulers of the land.
In Heraldry, “Arms” referred originally to the actual symbol, “Coat-of-Arms” to the clothing worn by knights to display their Arms, and “crest” to the ornamentation on a knight’s helmet.
In modern times, “crest” refers to the decoration that frames the actual Arms, and “Coat of Arms” refers broadly to the entire complex of elements (often including shield, crest, motto, and supports) making up the complete image.
For C.S. Lewis College, the Coat of Arms is intended to represent and convey the values of the school.
|The green field on the escutcheon (or shield) symbolizes hope, joy, and loyalty.The green also has the added significance of being the national color of Lewis’ native country, Ireland.|
|The gold chevron symbolizes protection and faithful service, and its color denotes the intellectual elevation of the mind.|
|In Heraldry, white (and silver) symbolizes peace and sincerity. The triple crowns signify the Trinitarian nature of the Christian faith revealed in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is under this Trinity that all believers are united regardless of denomination or creed.|
|The Lion traditionally embodies royalty, courage, and strength.When connected with Lewis, the lion has the added nuance of referring to Aslan, the great lion in the Chronicles of Narnia. In both cases the lion is a symbol of Christ, the king, protector, and sustainer of the Church.|