Pope Francis to get simple coat of arms, ring

First Posted: 3/18/2013

(AP) Pope Francis will mix his Argentine past with his Roman present to create his new papal coat of arms.

The Vatican says Monday that neither his papal ring nor his coat of arms will be ornate. The coat of arms is the same one he used archbishop of Buenos Aires, with the addition of the papal symbols of a bishops’ miter and gold and silver-crossed keys.

A gold star representing the Virgin Mary, and the nardo, a grape-like plant with which St. Joseph is often represented, are painted on a bright blue background. Above them is the emblem of Francis’ Jesuit order. Together the three represent Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

The papal ring is in gold-plated silver and was originally offered to Paul VI in the 1960’s.