Coat of arms of Boston College

The Coat of Arms of Boston College refers to the insignia of Boston College, a Jesuit university located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States.

Blazon and symbolism

The Boston College coat-of-arms incorporates the heraldic symbols of knowledge; Boston, Massachusetts; Boston, Lincolnshire; and the Jesuit Order. According to a pamphlet published by Sub Turri, the coat of arms is blazoned as follows:

The tinctures, gules and or, are the heraldic equivalents of the Boston College colors, maroon and old gold. The "trimount," represents the city of Boston's early topographical distinction of three hills (Mount Vernon, Beacon Hill, and Pemberton Hill) and its former name, Tremontaine or Tremont. The open book is symbolic of knowledge and is the central charge of the academic shield. The chief is derived from the coat of arms of the town of Boston, Lincolnshire, in England (Saint Botolph's Town) after which the New England city is named, which features a field sable, three crowns, of crosses patté and fleur-de-lis, per pale or. Only two crowns are shown, the place of the third being taken by the badge of the Jesuit order. This badge has a field, azure, rayonne or, enclosing the letters IHS, a Christogram based on the first three letters of "Jesus" in Greek (Ίησους, Latinized IHSOVS), under a cross and above three nails, of the second.

History and revisions

Early Boston College insignia consisted primarily of various depictions of the Jesuit...
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