File:Coat of arms of Bryan Joseph Bayda.svg

English: Coat of arms of the Canadian clergy Bryan Joseph Bayda, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saskatoon (Canada) of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Description of Bishop Bryan Bayda’s Coat of Arms

Bishop Bryan’s coat of arms is composed of a shield with its charges (symbols), a motto scroll, and external ornamentation.

The shield contains four fields: starting in the upper right and proceeding clockwise with blue, grey, green and white.

The blue symbolizes Mary the Theotokos . As co-redeemer and Our Mother of Perpetual Help, the virgin-white letter “M” also serves as an omophor of protection situated above the insignia of the Redemptorists. The arrangement of the cross, sponge and spear on three hills has been associated with the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer since 1738. Bishop Bryan professed vows in this Congregation during the fall of 1986.

The grey symbolizes the darkness of sin in the world. The Incarnation of Christ is symbolized by the Bethlehem Star that rose in the East. Christ is the Light of the World! Christ brings hope and salvation to the world as a person and member of the Holy Family.

The green portion of the shield with three sheaves of wheat, taken from Saskatchewan’s provincial flag, is indicative of Saskatchewan, Canada, the geographical area of the Eparchy of Saskatoon entrusted to the bishop.

The white portion hosts a red maple leaf, at the heart of which is found a gold trident. It symbolizes the bishop’s heritage as Ukrainian Canadian.

The shield is placed on an Episcopal mantle, crowned by a bishop’s golden mitre. The coat of arms is completed with external ornaments: a gold bishop’s crosier and cross, placed in back of the mantle.

The blue ribbon, placed below the shield, displays Bishop Bryan’s motto: You Will Be My Witnesses. This is taken from the World Youth Day 2008 theme found in Acts 1:8 “ You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses.” This motto also stems from Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Familiaris Consortio and the importance of the family unit in today’s society. Witnessing to the God the Father is not a solitary task. Christ demonstrated this through the mystery of the Holy Family. Likewise, the words from the Prophet Joel reach us today reminding us of God’s promise, “Afterward I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; even upon the servants and the handmaids, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.” Joel 3:1-2