The Blazon of Arms of the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches (ACAC)
Heraldic Description
Arms: Quarterly Argent and Gules, a cross Or; in dexter chief, a Lamb passant Argent, nimbed Or, supporting a banner Gules bordered Or and charged with a cross of the field.
Crest: A bishop’s mitre Or, garnished and jeweled Vert, Gules, and Azure, surmounted by a cross Or.
External Ornaments: Behind the shield, in saltire, a key and a crozier Or; about the shield, a golden episcopal stole lined Gules and charged at the ends with red crosses pattée.
Motto: “For His Glory.”
Seal: The Arms are enclosed within a vesica piscis field Gules fimbriated Or, inscribed “Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches,” with the date “A.D. 2005” at the base.
Symbolism of the Arms
1. The Cross (Or)
The golden cross represents the glory of Christ, the true center of the Church’s life, faith, and order.
Gold (Or) symbolizes divine majesty, eternal light, and the kingship of Christ.
Within the ACAC, the golden cross embodies the Communion’s commitment to proclaiming Christ crucified and risen, the foundation of apostolic faith.
It also reflects the ACAC motto: For His Glory, affirming that every act of worship, ministry, and mission must glorify God alone.
2. The Red Field (Gules)
Red is the color of sacrifice, courage, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
It signifies the blood of Christ, shed for the redemption of humanity, and the blood of the martyrs, whose witness continues to inspire the global Anglican family.
For the ACAC, Gules represents the missionary zeal and evangelistic fervor of the Communion — calling clergy and laity alike to serve sacrificially in spreading the Gospel.
Red also recalls the fire of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, affirming the ACAC’s embrace of Convergence theology, where Evangelical, Catholic, and Charismatic streams unite in living worship and mission.
3. The White Field (Argent)
White symbolizes purity, peace, and holiness of life.
It signifies the sanctified Church, washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14).
Within the ACAC, white points to the Communion’s pastoral and sacramental mission — to call all people into a life of grace, repentance, and reconciliation.
It also reflects the Church’s ministry of unity and peace among provinces, rooted in Christ’s prayer: “That they all may be one” (John 17:21).
4. The Gold (Or)
Gold represents divine light, eternal glory, and the unchanging truth of God.
It is the color of heavenly authority and apostolic continuity, reminding the ACAC that its bishops and ministers serve not in their own strength, but as stewards of the mysteries of God.
The gold of the cross and ornaments also symbolizes the dignity of episcopal ministry and the unity of the Church under Christ the King.
In the ACAC context, gold conveys the Communion’s unwavering dedication to maintaining apostolic succession, biblical orthodoxy, and sacramental integrity in all generations.
5. The Green (Vert) in the Jewels of the Mitre
Green represents growth, life, and renewal.
It recalls the flourishing mission of the Church — ever growing in grace and spreading the Gospel to the nations.
For the ACAC, it underscores the Communion’s dedication to education, formation, and spiritual development across its dioceses and member provinces.
6. The Blue (Azure) in the Jewels
Blue signifies truth, revelation, and heavenly wisdom.
It calls to mind the Virgin Mary, symbolizing the Church’s receptivity to the Word of God and the nurturing of faith.
For the ACAC, blue represents the theological depth and doctrinal fidelity that anchor its teaching and liturgical life, ensuring that mission and theology walk hand in hand.
The Blazon of the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches stands as a visual theology – a heraldic confession of faith.
Every color, line, and emblem preaches the Gospel message: that the Church exists not for itself, but for His Glory, to bring the light of Christ to the nations through apostolic order, evangelical truth, and life in the Spirit – the threefold essence of Convergence.
7. The Red (Gules) Jewels
Red jewels upon the mitre echo the fire of the Holy Spirit, signifying the continual renewal of the episcopate by divine grace.
In the ministry of the ACAC, this reminds bishops and clergy that their authority must be exercised not through power, but through the love of Christ and the guidance of the Spirit.
8. The Mitre
The episcopal mitre signifies the apostolic and episcopal order that governs the Church.
Its placement above the shield emphasizes the ACAC’s collegial structure — a communion of bishops united in mission rather than bound by hierarchy.
The mitre’s gold color further represents the glory of divine service, and its three jewels recall the Trinitarian foundation of the Communion’s faith: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
9. The Crozier and Key
The crozier (pastoral staff) represents shepherding care and the ministry of bishops as guardians of the flock.
The key symbolizes apostolic authority and the Church’s power to bind and loose (Matthew 16:19).
Together, they express the ACAC’s calling to lead with both pastoral compassion and spiritual authority, balancing mercy and truth.
10. The Stole with Red Crosses Pattée
The golden stole draped around the arms represents the ministry of the Word and Sacrament.
The red crosses pattée symbolize the commissioning of bishops and clergy to serve the Church for His glory.
This image also conveys the Communion’s identity as a missionary episcopate — ordained not for privilege, but for service.
11. The Lamb of God
The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is central to the crest — the Lamb victorious yet meek.
It represents Christ the Redeemer, who takes away the sin of the world, and stands as the eternal foundation of the Church’s ministry.
For the ACAC, the Lamb signifies the Communion’s call to embody the humility, sacrifice, and victory of Christ in every aspect of worship, leadership, and life.
12. The Motto – “For His Glory”
The motto encapsulates the entire purpose of the Communion.
It declares that all ecclesiastical governance, every act of ministry, every service rendered, and every soul reached exists for the glory of God alone (Soli Deo Gloria).
It binds together the diverse provinces of the ACAC in one sacred mission: to live, serve, and build the Church in ways that reflect the majesty and holiness of God.
13. The Vesica Piscis Seal
The oval (vesica piscis) form of the ACAC Seal represents the intersection of heaven and earth, symbolizing the Incarnation of Christ and the unity between the divine and human.
In traditional ecclesiastical usage, it marks jurisdiction and sacred authority, identifying the Communion as a valid and apostolic body within the universal Church.
The red field and gold border affirm mission and glory — the Church in motion under the cross, bearing witness to Christ in every land.