Papal coat of arms

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Every Pope of the Roman Catholic Church has his own personal coat of arms that serves as a symbol of his papacy.

All recent popes' coats of arms contained the image of the papal tiara. Benedict XVI has altered heraldic custom and used instead the mitre and pallium (see article: Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI). The papal coat of arms traditionally features a gold and silver key, representing the power to bind and to loose on earth (silver) and in heaven (gold). These are a reference to St Matthew's Gospel, chapter 16, verses 18-19:

"You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Thus in ecclesiastical heraldry, the keys symbolise the spiritual authority of the Papacy as the Vicar of Christ on Earth.

Note:Some of the images here just show the shield of the coat of arms, and not the full achievement of arms, which had the tiara.

Benedict XVI
(2005-present, Episcopal form of Papal arms,traditional design)

John Paul II
(1978-2005)

John Paul I
(1978)

Paul VI
(1963-1978)

Bl. John XXIII
(1958-1963)

Ven. Pius XII
(1939-1958)

Pius XI
(1922-1939)

Benedict XV
(1914-1922)

St. Pius X
(1903-1914)

Leo XIII
(1878-1903)

Bl. Pius IX
(1846-1878)

Gregory XVI
(1831-1846)

Leo XII
(1823-1829)

Pius VI
(1775-1799)

Clement XIV
(1769-1774)

Clement XIII
(1758-1769)

Benedict XIV
(1740-1758)

Clement XII
(1730-1740)

Benedict XIII
(1724-1730)

Innocent XIII
(1721-1724)

Clement XI
(1700-1721)

Innocent XII
(1691-1700)
Papaalessandro8 verysmall.JPG

Alexander VIII
(1689-1691)

Bl. Innocent XI
(1676-1689)

Clement X
(1670-1676)

Clement IX
(1667-1669)

Innocent X
(1644-1655)

Urban VIII
(1623-1644)

Gregory XV
(1621-1623)

Paul V
(1605-1621)

Leo XI
(1605-1605)

Clement VIII
(1592-1605)

Innocent IX
(1591-1591)

Gregory XIV
(1590-1591)

Urban VII
(1590-1590)

Sixtus V
(1585-1590)

Gregory XIII
(1572–1585)

St. Pius V
(1566–1572)

Pius IV
(1559-1566)
Paulo 4.jpg

Paul IV
(1555-1559)

Marcellus II
(1555–1555)
Julio III.jpg

Julius III
(1550–1555)
Paulo 3.jpg

Paul III
(1534–1549)

Pius II
(1458–1464)

John XXI
(1276–1277)


Coat of Arms of the Holy See.
Coat of Arms of Vatican City.

Emblem of Vatican City (from the Flag).
Sede vacante emblem of Holy See, used when there is no reigning pope. Keys disposed as customary for Holy See since 1929, not Vatican City[1]

  1. ^ Vatican City (Holy See). fotw.net (2006-03-25). Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
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Coat of arms of Vatican City
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