Most Reverend Anthony C. Celino
Coat of Arms

BY VERY REV. GUY SELVESTER
BLAZON: Azure, between two lilies Argent a sun in its splendor Or charged with the monogram for “Jesus” Gules; on a base Nebuly three roses Gules barbed and seeded Proper. Shield ensigned with an episcopal cross Or behind the shield and a bishop’s galero Vert cords and twelve tassels disposed in three rows of one, two and three all Vert. On a scroll below the shield the motto: “Servire Tibi Sicut Mereris”.
Bishop Celino’s armorial bearings represent his family name and symbols of his origins and his own devotional life. The main part of the shield is composed of a blue field and a silver (white) base with a distinctive division line called “nebuly” that is used in heraldic art to represent clouds. Together these elements suggest the sky as an allusion to the Bishop’s family name — Celino — which means a little sky.
The largest object in the daytime sky is, of course the sun. The main charge on the upper part of the shield is a gold (yellow) sun on which appears the three letters “IHS” in red. This sunburst charged with the monogram for the Holy Name of Jesus is used as a symbol for St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. Bishop Tony has had a particular devotion to St. Ignatius since his Confirmation. In addition, the particular way the sun is drawn is taken from the image of the sun on the coat of arms and the flag of the Philippines, the country where Bishop Tony was born.
On either side of the sun are two silver (white) lilies. The lily is traditionally used in heraldry to represent St. Anthony of Padua, Bishop Tony’s baptismal patron. In addition, having been born on the feast of St. Catherine of Siena (April 29), Bishop Tony has always had a devotion to her as well. Coincidentally, the heraldic symbol for St. Catherine is also a lily. So, the two lilies represent the bishop’s patron saints.
The lower half shows three red roses on a silver (white) background which represents a cloud. The roses are symbols of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. In connection with the appearance of Our Lady to Juan Diego, the miraculous blooming of roses in December occurred. Throughout his priesthood he has had a strong devotion to Mary specifically under this title.
The motto below the shield is “Servire Tibi Sicut Mereris” (To Serve You as You deserve) from the Prayer of Generosity attributed to St. Ignatius Loyola, as a further allusion to Bishop Tony’s great devotion to and inspiration from that saint.
The shield is ensigned with those external ornaments that indicate the bearer is a bishop. The gold (yellow) episcopal cross, not to be confused with a processional cross, is placed vertically behind and extending above and below the shield. In former times archbishops, and later all bishops, had a cross mounted on a staff carried immediately in front of them while in procession or on solemn occasions. This cross was a symbol of their rank as bishop. While such an episcopal cross is no longer used practically, it has been retained heraldically. In fact, there are other clerics who make use of the ecclesiastical hat with its many tassels but the one true heraldic emblem of a bishop — and the only essential one — is the episcopal cross placed behind the shield.
Above the shield is the ecclesiastical hat, called a galero which, in heraldry, replaces the martial helmet, mantling and crest. “The hat with six pendant tassels (green, purple or black) on each side is universally considered in heraldry as the sign of prelacy,” writes Bruno Heim in the book Heraldry in the Catholic Church.
The galero is green with green cords pendant from it and twelve green tassels arranged in a pyramid shape on either side of the shield. At one time in history bishops and archbishops wore green before adopting the Roman purple we see today. In heraldry the green hat and tassels was retained for prelates with the rank of bishop according to “Ut sive sollicite,” the March 1969 instruction of the Vatican Secretariat of State “on the dress, titles, and coats-of-arms of Cardinals, Bishops, and lesser Prelates.”
The armorial bearings of Bishop Celino were designed, blazoned and rendered by the Very Rev. Guy Selvester, a priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey.
BLAZON: Azure, between two lilies Argent a sun in its splendor Or charged with the monogram for “Jesus” Gules; on a base Nebuly three roses Gules barbed and seeded Proper. Shield ensigned with an episcopal cross Or behind the shield and a bishop’s galero Vert cords and twelve tassels disposed in three rows of one, two and three all Vert. On a scroll below the shield the motto: “Servire Tibi Sicut Mereris”.
Bishop Celino’s armorial bearings represent his family name and symbols of his origins and his own devotional life. The main part of the shield is composed of a blue field and a silver (white) base with a distinctive division line called “nebuly” that is used in heraldic art to represent clouds. Together these elements suggest the sky as an allusion to the Bishop’s family name — Celino — which means a little sky.
The largest object in the daytime sky is, of course the sun. The main charge on the upper part of the shield is a gold (yellow) sun on which appears the three letters “IHS” in red. This sunburst charged with the monogram for the Holy Name of Jesus is used as a symbol for St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. Bishop Tony has had a particular devotion to St. Ignatius since his Confirmation. In addition, the particular way the sun is drawn is taken from the image of the sun on the coat of arms and the flag of the Philippines, the country where Bishop Tony was born.
On either side of the sun are two silver (white) lilies. The lily is traditionally used in heraldry to represent St. Anthony of Padua, Bishop Tony’s baptismal patron. In addition, having been born on the feast of St. Catherine of Siena (April 29), Bishop Tony has always had a devotion to her as well. Coincidentally, the heraldic symbol for St. Catherine is also a lily. So, the two lilies represent the bishop’s patron saints.
The lower half shows three red roses on a silver (white) background which represents a cloud. The roses are symbols of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. In connection with the appearance of Our Lady to Juan Diego, the miraculous blooming of roses in December occurred. Throughout his priesthood he has had a strong devotion to Mary specifically under this title.
The motto below the shield is “Servire Tibi Sicut Mereris” (To Serve You as You deserve) from the Prayer of Generosity attributed to St. Ignatius Loyola, as a further allusion to Bishop Tony’s great devotion to and inspiration from that saint.
The shield is ensigned with those external ornaments that indicate the bearer is a bishop. The gold (yellow) episcopal cross, not to be confused with a processional cross, is placed vertically behind and extending above and below the shield. In former times archbishops, and later all bishops, had a cross mounted on a staff carried immediately in front of them while in procession or on solemn occasions. This cross was a symbol of their rank as bishop. While such an episcopal cross is no longer used practically, it has been retained heraldically. In fact, there are other clerics who make use of the ecclesiastical hat with its many tassels but the one true heraldic emblem of a bishop — and the only essential one — is the episcopal cross placed behind the shield.
Above the shield is the ecclesiastical hat, called a galero which, in heraldry, replaces the martial helmet, mantling and crest. “The hat with six pendant tassels (green, purple or black) on each side is universally considered in heraldry as the sign of prelacy,” writes Bruno Heim in the book Heraldry in the Catholic Church.
The galero is green with green cords pendant from it and twelve green tassels arranged in a pyramid shape on either side of the shield. At one time in history bishops and archbishops wore green before adopting the Roman purple we see today. In heraldry the green hat and tassels was retained for prelates with the rank of bishop according to “Ut sive sollicite,” the March 1969 instruction of the Vatican Secretariat of State “on the dress, titles, and coats-of-arms of Cardinals, Bishops, and lesser Prelates.”
The armorial bearings of Bishop Celino were designed, blazoned and rendered by the Very Rev. Guy Selvester, a priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey.
Office of the Auxiliary Bishop
The Most Rev. Anthony C. Celino, D.D., J.C.L.
499 St. Matthews Street
El Paso, TX 79907
Building A
Phone: (915) 872-8419
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday
9:00am-noon & 1:00pm-5:00pm
The Most Rev. Anthony C. Celino, D.D., J.C.L.
499 St. Matthews Street
El Paso, TX 79907
Building A
Phone: (915) 872-8419
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday
9:00am-noon & 1:00pm-5:00pm