The Seal of the Diocese appears on our stationery, on the "Messenger" newsletter, and on booklets, bulletins, and other printed material. It decorates a beautiful banner that is carried in procession at special celebrations, and may be found on vestments, in carvings, paintings, stained-glass windows, and other Church

symbolism and decoration throughout the Diocese. It is also the corporate seal and is embossed on some legal documents. When the Bishop of San Diego ordains someone to the Diaconate or Priesthood, or co-consecrates a new Bishop, a raised imprint of the seal is made by pressing a metal seal into hot sealing wax on the ordination certificate near the Bishop's signature. The inscription on the seal is, "THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF SAN DIEGO - MCMLXXIII".

The MITER, the official headdress of a Bishop, stands for Episcopal authority (i.e.,pertaining to Bishops).

The CROSS indicates the Church of Jesus Christ.

The GOLDEN COLOR represents the sands of our desert areas, as well as California, the Golden State.

The ANGEL'S WINGS on a red background remember our origins in the Diocese of Los Angeles.

The ANCHOR stands for hope, and it reminds us that the Diocese of San Diego serves one of the largest Naval communities in the United States. It is also one of the first symbols of the cross, used by the early Christians in Rome to escape detection (prior to 330 A.D.).

The OCEAN WAVES symbolize that the Diocese is bordered by the ocean as well as the desert (see note under "golden color"). The three sets of ocean waves stand for Faith, Hope, and Charity.

The SEA SHELL represents St. James'-by-the-Sea Parish, La Jolla, the parish where the Right Reverend Robert Wolterstorff, our first Bishop, served as Rector for 20 years. The scallop shell is a symbol of pilgrimage, and when it is accompanied by the cross it signifies martyrdom, as St. James the Apostle suffered death at the hands of Herod.

The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego was established in 1973 from the southern half of the Diocese of Los Angeles, and it includes all of San Diego County, Imperial County, a large part of Riverside County. Yuma County, Arizona, became part of the Diocese of San Diego at the 25th Annual Diocesan Convention held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego, February 6, 1999.