Vatican, ca. 1963-68 AD.,
Silver Medal (28 mm / 14,86 g),
Obv.: JOHANNES XXIII P. M. - PAULUS VI P. M. + PIUS XII P. M. , three busts facing left.
Rev.: 1000 (indicating pure silver) , 3 papal coats of arms with keys and crosses;
- Stemma Summi Pontificis Ioannis Papae XXIII: lion of St. Marcus over tower, two fleur de lis. Scutum in inferiore loco rubrum, zona argentea intersectum, quod mediam prae se fert turrim et ex utraque parte argenteum lilium. In superiore loco argenteum, ostendens aligerum leonem S. Marci, nimbo caput circumdatum ac dextro anteriore pede librum sustinentem cum inscriptione: Pax tibi Marce, Evangelista meus. Imminent scuto Claves decussatae ac Tiara de more.
- Stemma Summi Pontificis Pius PP. XII: dove with branch over water
- Stemma Summi Pontificis Paulus PP. VI; 3 fleur de lis over ? .
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For at least 800 years, each Pope has had his own personal coat of arms that serves as a symbol of his papacy. The first Pope whose arms are known with certainty is Pope Innocent IV (1243-1254). Earlier popes were only attributed arms in the 17th century.
All recent popes' coats of arms contained the image of the papal tiara. Benedict XVI has altered heraldic custom and used instead the mitre and pallium. The papal coat of arms traditionally features a gold and silver key, representing the power to bind and to loose on earth (silver) and in heaven (gold). These are a reference to St Matthew's Gospel, chapter 16, verses 18-19:
"You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Thus in ecclesiastical heraldry, the keys symbolise the spiritual authority of the Papacy as the Vicar of Christ on Earth.
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