The Synod of the Diocese of New Westminster

On a hurt a cross patonce between two martlets in chief the wings and tail of each forming a maple leaf Or and surmounting in base a barrulet wavy Argent;

The birds, or martlets, are taken from the diocesan arms, and are shown here with their tails in a maple leaf shape to emphasize the Canadian identity of the diocese. The martlets can also be seen as messengers from heaven. Blue and gold are borrowed from the arms of the Diocese, the blue representing the heavens, the rivers and the sea, and the gold referring to Christ as the Light of the World. The cross patonce, found in the diocesan arms, is a reference to the coat of arms of Westminster Abbey and dramatizes the reality that this is the badge of a Christian community. The wavy white stripe symbolizes the water of the rivers and the sea that are such an important feature of the diocesan landscape, as well as the water of baptism and of life. Finally, the circular shape refers to the circle of life and the traditions of the First Peoples, who were among the Diocese’s founding members.