THE SHIELD OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE U.S.A.

The red cross on a white field is the St. George Cross, an indicator of our link to and heritage with the Church of England, the origin of the Anglican Communion. The miniature crosses in the blue quadrant symbolize the nine original American dioceses that met in Philadelphia in 1789 to adopt the constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

The outline of the miniature crosses is in the form of the St. Andrew's Cross in tribute to the Scottish Church's role in ordaining the first American bishop, the Right Reverend Samuel Seabury in 1784. The colors red, white and blue symbolize the sacrifice of Christ and Christian martyrs, the purity of the Christian faith, and the humanity of Christ received from the Blessed Virgin Mary. In duplicating the colors of the American flag, they also represent the Episcopal Church's standing as the United States branch of the Anglican Communion.