Pope Benedicts XVI’s Coat of Arms

by CNS · Published January 3, 2023 · Updated January 1, 2023

A mitretops the coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI. Inside the shield is a Moor’s head and the bear of St Corbinian, symbols from the pope’s Bavarian heritage, and a scallop shell, a traditional mark of pilgrims. At the bottom of the emblem is a pallium, a liturgical insignia that calls to mind the pope’s responsibility as pastor of the flock entrusted to him by Christ. The keys are a symbol of the power Christ bestowed on St. Peter and his successors. (CNS photo)

A mitre tops the coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI. Inside the shield is a Moor’s head and the bear of St. Corbinian, symbols from the pope’s Bavarian heritage, and a scallop shell, a traditional mark of pilgrims. At the bottom of the emblem is a pallium, a liturgical insignia that calls to mind the pope’s responsibility as pastor of the flock entrusted to him by Christ. The keys are a symbol of the power Christ bestowed on St. Peter and his successors. (CNS photo)