Chas Charles-Dunne wrote:Thanks, Chris. It is all the external ornamentation that confuses me. And, of course, I had not even thought about the Lutherans.
Not so strange as not all Lutherans have an episcopal structure. In Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark the old organizational structure was kept after the Reformation. Thus the Diocese of Skara count as having been founded in the 11th Century AD. The first use of Diocesean Arms combined with those of the Bishop is not known until the 1510s, when Bishop Vincentius used a shield with a diocesean Arms next to one with his personal arms. At tis time the diocesean Arms showed a Crozier and Palmfrond in saltire. The modern diocesean Arms created in 1969 are instead inspired by the lesser Chapter Seal from the 1480ies. The Stars allude to Our Lady Patron of the diocesean Cathedral.