School Shield and Motto
Heraldic description
In chief azure, the capital letters "AM" argent. Below, perpale. Dexter: argent, the wolves-and-pot of Loyola, sable. Sinister: gules, a stone fort, or. Above the shield, a medallion, or, the three capital letters I H S and three nails fanwise, or. From the medallion, rays, or. Below the shield, a scroll with the motto: "In Omnibus Amare et Servire", the whole enclosed by two semicircular scrolls. The upper with the words " Ateneo de Iloilo." The lower with "Santa Maria Catholic School."
Popular description
The shield is divided into three parts, colored red, white and blue, the colors of the Philippine Flag.
The upper one-third of the shield is a blue band on which are the capital letters "AM" (Ave Maria) in white symbolic of the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom the school has been dedicated from the beginning. (Blue and White are the colors associated with the Immaculate Conception and are the colors of many Ateneos in the Philippines.)
The lower two-thirds of the shield is divided vertically. The "dexter" (right side) of the shield (that is, to the left of the viewer) is a white field on which, in black, are the wolves-and-pot (lobos y olla) of the House of Loyola, the family of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order that administers the school.
The "sinister" (left side) of the shield (that is, to the right of the viewer) is a red field on which, in gold, is a stone fort, the emblem of the City of Iloilo where a stone fort used to guard the coast.
Above the shield is a gold medallion with three capital letters - I H S - which are the first three Greek letters (iota, eta, sigma) in the Greek name of Jesus and the three nails joined together like a fan. This is the official emblem of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuit Order. From the Jesus medallion emanates golden rays.
On both sides of the shield are, in gold, the Chinese characters Blessed Mother.
Below the shield is a golden scroll on which is the motto "In Omnibus Amare et Servire" (To Love and Serve in All Things) from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, expressing the Ignatian ideal of love and service to Jesus Christ and to one's fellowman.
The entire seal is enclosed in a circle composed of two semicircular scrolls. The upper scroll contains the new official name of the school: Ateneo de Iloilo. The lower scroll contains the name of the school since its foundation: Santa Maria Catholic School.
Read more about this topic: Ateneo De Iloilo
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