The International Association of Amateur Heralds

Armorial Bearings of Sören Dalevi, consecrated Bishop of Karlstad 28 August 2016.


The Quartering with a Cross is rather unusual amongst Bishops' Arms in Sweden. In the First and Fourth quarters the Diocesean Arms. The Bible denotes the Bishops' interest in the Father of The Church Ireneus. Who fought to include the Old Testament (symbolised by the Menorah) in the Christian Bible (symbolised by the Fish, which also stands for the New Testament beeing an early Christian Symbol.). The Motto also alludes to Ireneus and translates as Man amongst Men.

My new local Bishop is unlikely to make much use of his CoA. He makes a great deal of being an "ordinary bloke" (hence his motto). His very first comment on hearing of his election was to the effect that now he would have to learn to eat his dinner properly with a knife and fork(!)

I was surprised to find that the arms were designed by Henrik Dahlström, the State Archives' heraldic artist, and thus someone who should know his job. But the so-called "Swedish cross" (as in the Swedish royal arms) is quite inappropriate. It is used in the royal arms to unite the quarters so that the arms are no longer quartered. In the Swedish fashion, Bishop Dalevi's arms should be quartered 1&4 the bishop's see, 2&3 personal arms. As it is the arms appear to be united by the cross, which of course they are not. Bishop Dalevi's heir would use only Gules an open Bible Argent on its dexter pages a Menorah and on its sinister pages an Ichthys in pale both Gules, not the united arms depicted below.

The arms of the current Archbishop of Uppsala show how it should be done - Q1&4 Uppsala, Q2&3 Jackelen.



Incidentally, the use of the cross and crook behind the arms of the Archbishop and just the crook behind the Bishop's arms does not seem to be anything to do with their respective ranks. Archbishop Jackelen used both when Bishop of Lund.

Leaving aside the question of including this particular variety is cross (which I'm not qualified to address) I think these arms are lovely.

Chris is if course right that only the 2nd quarter would be appropriate for the Bishop's relatives; but hopefully they would be informed and avoid taking the whole quartered coat as family arms.

Chris the Bishop of Lund has for historical reasons the same entitlements as the Archbishop of Uppsala. In prereformation Times Lund was the seat of an Archbishop who was primate of Scandinavia.

Marcus Karlsson wrote:Chris the Bishop of Lund has for historical reasons the same entitlements as the Archbishop of Uppsala. In prereformation Times Lund was the seat of an Archbishop who was primate of Scandinavia.

Of course. So in fact the cross and crook in saltire are the rank attributes of the primate of Sweden (there now being separate primates for each country in Scandinavia/Norden).

Chris Green wrote:I was surprised to find that the arms were designed by Henrik Dahlström, the State Archives' heraldic artist, and thus someone who should know his job. But the so-called "Swedish cross" (as in the Swedish royal arms) is quite inappropriate. It is used in the royal arms to unite the quarters so that the arms are no longer quartered. In the Swedish fashion, Bishop Dalevi's arms should be quartered 1&4 the bishop's see, 2&3 personal arms. As it is the arms appear to be united by the cross, which of course they are not. Bishop Dalevi's heir would use only Gules an open Bible Argent on its dexter pages a Menorah and on its sinister pages an Ichthys in pale both Gules, not the united arms depicted below.

I'm afraid that Mr Dahlström is not really an heraldic artist, but rather a graphic designer, with insufficient knowledge of heraldry to design coats of arms, as bishop Dalevi's arms so clearly show. Unfortunately bishop Dalevi declined the offer from the Swedish Heraldry Society to assist him with designing arms, and although I am biased, I do think that the arms could have been much better.