This “heraldic achievement” (or coat of arms) is permitted for Church institutions like basilicas. The purpose is to graphically herald (or announce) who and what the bearer (our basilica) is in color and symbol. Behind the shield we display two insignia: 1— the title, Minor Basilica, symbolized in the ombrellino surmounting the shield and 2— our honor, our unique relationship with the pope, symbolized in the papal keys. Elements in the shield describe the basilica itself. Very Rev. Gregory Dobson, first rector of the basilica, gave much thought to the interior elements (“charges”) that best describe the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and ultimately pared them down to the symbols in this design explained below. The motto was chosen by Fr. Greg who never waivered from this choice of the first line from Psalm 121. 

We thank Rev. Dennis Mancuso, pastor of Our Lady of the Angels Church in Cuba, NY, for  rendering our coat of arms in design collaboration with Jennifer Kane who wrote the Minor Basilica application and provided historical elements that inform the design. We thank Deacon Paul Sullivan of the Diocese of Providence, a renown American ecclesial heraldist, for his expert consultation.

Description

The shield is composed of a blue field with two white (silver) divisions —both colors which traditionally represent the Blessed Virgin Mary. Both divisions of the blue field symbolize two geographic features of the region in which the basilica is located. The upper white division evokes the majestic sky against the Enchanted Mountains that embrace the valley in which the City of Olean is found. These mountains also allude to Thomas Merton’s famous memoir, The Seven Storey Mountain, in which we learn how his spiritual life was fed at Saint Mary of the Angels during the brief time this great spiritual writer of the 20th century was in the Olean area. The lower wavy division white (silver) line symbolizes the Alleghany River which flows to the south of the basilica and brought the original Catholic settlers to the region. 

Prominently displayed in the center of the blue field is a gold “Monogram of Mary” which is an interlaced “A” and “M” for Auspice Maria— “Under the protection of Mary.” This monogram also evokes the first two words of the ancient Marian prayer, “Hail Mary,” in Latin (Ave Maria)— the entire text of which is painted in the transept ceiling of the basilica. This Monogram additionally reflects the "MA" in the name of the basilica: Saint Mary of the Angels. In 1915, the pastor who built the church chose this monogram to represent Our Lady in two commissioned art glass windows in the church.  A Tau Cross which surmounts the "A" of the Monogram of Mary, honors the Franciscan roots of the basilica's name and the early years in which the friars cared for this Catholic mission community (1855-1876). The positioning of the cross in relation to the monogram also evokes the image of Our Lady at the foot of the Cross of her Son; she ever points us to Christ. 

The shape of the monogram letters themselves hints at the gothic architecture of the basilica, a gentle nod to Emile Uhlrich, the architect, who also designed our sister basilica in our diocese, Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica.  This second basilica in the United States was built by Venerable Nelson Baker who blessed and opened St. Mary of the Angels Church in 1915. The design of Uhlrich’s elegant stone traceries of the basilica’s famous windows are evident in the heart of the “A.” 

The Latin word for oil (olea) influenced the name of the City of Olean. The singular large drop occupying the base of the shield alludes to the abundance of petroleum underground in the region; the first discovery of oil in North America occurred only a few miles away. The drop of oil is green, the color of oil in this region. But green is also the color of our sacramental oils, and so this symbol takes on a precious meaning as it also evokes these oils so vital to our sacramental life in the Church.  Together, both the river (water) and oil evoke sacramental elements, particularly
Baptism which is our birth into the divine life of Christ. The undulating river conjures up a sense of the restless Spirit constantly moving in our lives and ever present in the sacraments.  

On a scroll below the shield is the motto, “I LIFT UP MY EYES TO THE MOUNTAINS.”  This comes from the first line of Psalm 121, a psalm of ascent sung by pilgrims traveling up to the Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. It is a song of praise, encouragement and hope for God’s blessings on their pilgrimage to that holy site, a theme appropriate for a basilica which takes on the responsibility of pilgrim visitors and more poignantly assists all of us who are on the great pilgrimage to the Kingdom of God—an allusion to the parish mission. 

The motto actually informs each of the symbols (“charges”) within this coat of arms;  each contains shapes which visually point up, drawing the viewer to constantly look upwards. 

This coat of arms is completed with the external ornaments which are the crossed papal keys surmounted by the papal ombrellino. The papal keys represent the authority of binding and loosing which our Lord gave to St. Peter and his successors (cf. Matthew 16:17-19; Isaiah 22:22). The gold and red of the ombrellino are traditional papal colors for this unique insignia displayed in a partially opened state, signifying the basilica’s anticipation of the pope’s arrival. These are heraldic insignia granted by the pope for use by a minor basilica and reflect the unique relationship a basilica enjoys with the Successor of St. Peter.