Seals of Diocese and Cathedral
The seal of the Diocese is in the form of a pointed oval, or vesica,[4] and is as follows:
Quarterly gules and argent, over all a cross counter-changed of the same. In dexter chief the American eagle with wings displayed or; in sinister chief and dexter base the sails of a windmill proper from the arms of the City of New York. In sinister base two swords in saltire or from the arms of the see of London. Surmounted by an episcopal mitre proper. The arms surmounted on a field purpure and enclosed by a bordure azure lined (or edged) or bearing the legend “Seal of the Diocese of New York MDCCLXXXV” or.
The red color (gules) and the swords are historically reminiscent of the fact that prior to the Independence of the United States the church throughout the American Colonies was under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Diocese of London.
Diocesan Seal
Cathedral Seal
The seal of the Cathedral, also vesica-shaped, is as follows:
Tierce in pairle reversed. 1st, from the arms of the City of New York: argent four sails of a windmill in saltire, between the ends in chief and base a beaver couchant, in fess dexter and sinister a barrel of flour all proper. 2d, from the arms of the State of New York: azure in a landscape the sun in fess rising in splendor or behind a range of three mountains the middle one the highest, in base a ship and sloop under sail passing and about to meet on a river bordered below by a grassy shore fringed with shrubs all proper. 3d, azure seven six-pointed stars argent between as many candlesticks or. Surmounted by an episcopal mitre proper. Enclosed by a bordure gules edged or bearing the legend “Sigil. Eccles. Cath. S. Johann. Theol. N. Ebor.” or.
The seven stars and candlesticks refer to the Revelation of St. John the Divine, i. 20.