Daniel Nicholas DiNardo

DANIEL NICHOLAS DINARDO

Born : May 23, 1949
Deceased :

Bishop of Sioux City, 1998-2005
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, 2006-present
Cardinal : 2007

Bishop of Sioux City	Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
Cardinal

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

As common in US episcopal heraldry, the arms show the arms of the diocese impaled with the personal arms of the bishop.

The color of the field recalls the maiden name of Bishop DiNardo's mother: "Green". The bar is composed of alternating blue and silver squares that form a checkered pattern. This device is taken from the arms of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, where Bishop DiNardo had the honor to serve as a priest until his appointment as bishop to the Diocese of Sioux City.

In the lower portion of the design, a silver oil jar is charged with a golden cross. This is a canting element for the bishop's surname of DiNardo, which means "of the nard" or "of the ointment." The placement of the cross on this container indicates that this is holy oil, or sacred chrism, which is the oil used for the ordination of bishops and priests.

For his motto, Bishop DiNardo selected the phrase "Ave Crux Spes Unica." This phrase, which is taken from the beginning of the third verse of the Latin hymn Vexilla Regis, by Venantius Fortunatus (d. 609), is translated to express the deep and profound Christian belief that the cross of Christ is the standard we must follow. In all that we do, as we live, we sing and say, "Hail, 0 Cross, Our Only Hope."

The achievement is completed with the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop.

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