Coat of arms of Leonard Paul Blair

Arms impaled. Dexter arms of the Archdiocese of Hartford: Gules, a hart Or, bearing the Paschal banner, Proper, the staff paleways of the second and trippant over a ford barry wavy of six Argent and Azure.

Sinister: personal arms of Archbishop Blair, which reflect his life and ministries as a priest and bishop. The design is based on the coat of arms of his home diocese, the Archdiocese of Detroit, reflected in the gold field with black cross and silver stars. At the top of the cross are two keys crossed with a sword representing the two Princes of the Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul. At the bottom is a fleur-de-lis, symbolic of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. In a separate central shield is a golden lion on a red field, holding a heart in his forepaw. The use of the lion is a reference to the bishop's baptismal name, Leonard ("lion-hearted") and recalls the coat of arms of the various seminaries he attended.

The Latin motto, PASCE OVES MEAS, is taken from St. John's Gospel. These words, which mean "feed, tend my sheep," are spoken by the Risen Christ to Saint Peter who, after having denied Christ three times, now makes a triple profession of love.

To feed Christ's sheep with love is the mission to which all bishops, priests and deacons are called through ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Reference:

• www.archdioceseofhartford.org
• www.toledodiocese.org