The Episcopal Seal

Unlike those of western Heraldic tradition, an eastern Bishop's emblem is more a seal than a coat-of-arms, and pertains more particularly to his see than to his family of origin.

Typical features which are found in Bishop John Michael's Episcopal seal include: the mandiyas, or bishop's mantle, the long, wine-colored cape, which is worn during processions. This forms the background for the other emblems. Atop the mandiyas is the mitra, or miter, which is worn on the head during Divine Liturgy and which represents Christ the King. To the left and right of the miter are, respectively, the hand cross and rabdos, or pastoral staff. The hand cross is used in blessing and preaching and symbolizes the bishop's office of teaching and sanctifying his flock. It is an additional reminder of the life-giving Crucifixion of the Lord, which brought salvation to the whole human race. The staff, unlike the shepherd's crook used by western bishops, is surmounted by two snakes, which are positioned to look at the cross between them. The snakes represent the bronze serpents fashioned by Moses in the wilderness (Numbers 21:9) in which the Holy Fathers saw the type of the Cross of Christ.

Centered upon the mandiyas are emblems proper to the Diocese of St. George the Martyr in Canton, and chosen by its first bishop, the Most Reverend Louis Puscas, viz., the troitza, or wayside cross, and the undulations which represent the hills and valleys of Romania, the land of origin of this particular Church. In distinction to the manner in which these emblems appear in his seal, the hills are rendered more iconographic and less stylized, and the cross is based upon an existing troitza photographed by Bishop Botean in Romania. The same design was used at his ordination to the priesthood.

Depicted on either side of the mandiyas are two of the bishop's patron saints, St. Michael the Archangel, on the viewer's left and St. John the Baptist, on the viewer's right. Both are depicted in traditional iconographic style, the Archangel Michael vested as a deacon and bearing an emblem of the holy Name of Jesus, and St. John in his camel's hair garment and a pair of wings, the idea for which is taken from Matthew 11:10, quoting Malachi 3:1.

Above in Romanian, and below in English, are scrolls upon which the new bishop's motto is written: "Fear not, little flock," (Luke12:32).

Emblem designed by Dr. Timothy S. Quinn.