Philip Matthew Hannan

PHILIP MATTHEW HANNAN

Born : May 20, 1913
Deceased : September 29, 2011

Auxiliary bishop of Washington, 1956-1965
Archbishop of New Orleans, 1965-1988

Auxiliary Bishop of Washington

Archbishop of New Orleans

Official blazon

Argent, two bar gules, bewteen three mullets in chief, a lion passant guardant in fess, and another in base, azure.
Motto: Caritas vinculum perfectionis

Origin/meaning

As common in US episcopal heraldry, the arms show the arms of the diocese impaled with the personal arms of the bishop.

The arms are loosley based on the arms of a branch of a Hannan family of Ireland (nor related to the bishop though), which bears three black and silver lions passant guardant on a red field. One of th elions has been omitted and the tinctures have been altered for difference. Lions are also known in some arms of O'Keefe families and thus also represent the mother of the bishop.

The silver field, the two red bars and the three red stars are derived from the coat of arms of George Washington, which is described: Argent, two bars gules, in chief three mullets of the last. The Washingtonian motif is appropriate because of the birth and priestly labors of Bishop Hannan in Washington. The silver and red tinctures from the Washington arms are a patriotic complement to the blue lions, and compose the colors of the American flag.

The motto is taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Colossians, chapter 3, verse 14: Super omnia autem haec, caritatem habete, quod est vinculum perfectionis, which is translated : " But above all these things, have charity which is the bond of perfection."