Martin David Holley

MARTIN DAVID HOLLEY

Born: December 31, 1954
Deceased:

Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, 2004-2016
Bishop of Memphis, 2016-2018

Auxiliary Bishop of Washington

Bishop of Memphis

Official blazon
English	blazon wanted

(private arms as auxiliary bishop) Quarterly Gules and Azure, a plow Argent, on a chief wavy Or, a fleur-de-lis Azure.
(private arms as bishop) Quarterly gules and azure; a plowshare affronte argent; on a chief wavy or, a fleur-de-lis of the second.

Origin/meaning

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

The colors red and blue have long been associated with Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin. The blue fleur-de-lis on honors Our Lady in a special manner. Red and blue are also the predominant colors of the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Washington, where Bishop Holley served for many years.

The silver plowshare recalls the admonition of Our Lord to those who put their hand to the plow not to look back (Luke 9:62). This is especially true for those called to the priestly vocation. That the plowshare is centered in the quartered shield emphasizes that the priestly life is associated with the cross. A further significance of the plowshare is that it commemorates the Bishop's forebears on the maternal side of the family who were sharecroppers. Cotton was among their crops; thus the silver tincture or the plowshare.

The gold chief refers to the Bishop's mother, Mary Elizabeth, who, prior to her death, mentioned when she got to heaven she would shine as bright as the sun. When her mortal remains were being removed from the family home, a shaft of gold light shone through the front door and three eagles circled overhead. One of Mrs. Holley's favorite hymns was On Eagle's Wings by Michael Joncas.

The wavy demarcation below the gold chief recalls Pensacola, Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico, the city of Bishop Holley's priestly life, and his family home.

The colors blue and gold also honor Pope John Paul II, whose arms bore a gold cross on a blue field. The arms of Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick , Archbishop emeritus of Washington, who ordained Bishop Holley to the episcopacy, bear a gold cross on a red field. Red and gold are also the colors of the arms of Cardinal Donald William Wuerl, under whom Bishop Holley has served in recent years.

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