THE CREST

crest
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EXPLANATION AND SYMBOLISM OF THE ST.LOUIS CREST

A glance at the St. Louis Crest, the coat of arms, used in all St. Louis schools is the surest way of making contact with the distinctive spirit of the Institute of the Sisters of St. Louis

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A sword encircled by a crown of thorns

The central device, a sword encircled by a crown of thorns, recalls at once the Institute’s chief patron saint, King Louis IX of France and his part in the Crusades; it was he who recovered the crown of thorns from the Saracens and housed it in the Sainte‑Chapelle, Paris.

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A fleur-de-lis

Opposite the tower is a fleur‑de‑lis, emblem of the Kings of France, recalling the Congregation’s French origin. According to an old tradition, the use of this heraldic device began in the reign of France’s first Christian King, Clovis I, for whom it represented the lily given him by an angel at his baptism.

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The inverted chevron of gold chain

The inverted chevron of gold chain symbolises the “strong bond of the true Christian union” which welds the members of the Institute into the unity of a religious family. The golden chain and the sword are in conjunction cruciform. This fundamental symbol of Christianity recalls God’s love for man.

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St.Louis IX "Dieu le veult", "God wills it"

The motto of St. Louis IX “Dieu le veult”, “God wills it”, was the rallying cry of the Crusaders. It bespeaks chivalry, courage, courtesy, enthusiasm ‑ all the virtues required by the ideal of Christian knighthood. Union in charity is again emphasized by the motto of the Sisters of St. Louis “Ut Sint Unum”, “that they may be one”, a prayer which was especially dear to the founder, Abbé Louis Bautain.