Saint-Laurent Herald
Encyclopedia
Saint-Laurent Herald of Arms (Héraut Saint-Laurent in French
) is the title of one of the officers of arms
at the Canadian Heraldic Authority
in Ottawa
. Like the other herald
s at the Authority, the name is derived from a Canadian river, in this case the Saint Lawrence River
. In addition to his/her regular heraldic duties, Saint-Laurent Herald, as the Registrar of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, is responsible for maintaining the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada.
A badge of office was assigned to Saint-Laurent by vice-regal warrant in 1994. This consists of a flaming gridiron
overlaid by a blue cross. The gridiron is associated with the martyr
dom of Saint Lawrence
. The fleurs-de-lys on the ends of each branch of the cross come from the former royal arms of France
and were also used by French settlements in Canada such as New France
and Quebec
.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) is the title of one of the officers of arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
at the Canadian Heraldic Authority
Canadian Heraldic Authority
The Canadian Heraldic Authority is part of the Canadian honours system under the Queen of Canada, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General. The Authority is responsible for the creation and granting of new coats of arms , flags and badges for Canadian citizens, permanent residents and...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. Like the other herald
Herald
A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
s at the Authority, the name is derived from a Canadian river, in this case the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
. In addition to his/her regular heraldic duties, Saint-Laurent Herald, as the Registrar of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, is responsible for maintaining the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada.
A badge of office was assigned to Saint-Laurent by vice-regal warrant in 1994. This consists of a flaming gridiron
Gridiron (cooking)
A gridiron is a metal grate with parallel bars typically used for grilling meat, fish, vegetables, or combinations of such foods. It may also be two such grids, hinged to fold together, to securely hold food while grilling over an open flame.-Development:...
overlaid by a blue cross. The gridiron is associated with the martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
dom of Saint Lawrence
Saint Lawrence
Lawrence of Rome was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian in 258.- Holy Chalice :...
. The fleurs-de-lys on the ends of each branch of the cross come from the former royal arms of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and were also used by French settlements in Canada such as New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Holders of the office
- 1988-2000 Auguste VachonAuguste VachonAuguste Georges Vachon, AIH, FRHSC is a Canadian officer of arms. He held the post of Saint-Laurent Herald of Arms in Ordinary at the Canadian Heraldic Authority from its foundation in 1988 until his retirement in 2000. Since then, he has served as Outaouais Herald of Arms Emeritus.-Coat of...
- 2000-2007 Claire BoudreauClaire BoudreauClaire Boudreau, PhD, FRHSC, AIH, is a Canadian historian, genealogist, and officer of arms. She has served as a herald in the Canadian Heraldic Authority since 17 March 1997 in the office of Saguenay Herald and later as Saint-Laurent Herald, to which office she succeeded on the retirement of...
- 2008-present Bruce PattersonBruce Patterson (officer of arms)Bruce Kenneth Patterson, FRHSC is a Canadian officer of arms at the Canadian Heraldic Authority. He was appointed Saguenay Herald in 2000, and promoted to Saint-Laurent Herald and Registrar in 2008...