T he U niversity S eal
The official seal of Gwynedd Mercy University bears the University’s name and
location, date of founding, coat of arms and motto.
The left side of the University shield contains symbols of the Sisters of Mercy
who came to Philadelphia in 1861 and founded Gwynedd Mercy Junior College
in 1948. It depicts four red stripes on a gold shield surmounted by a white cross.
In 1831, Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, officially adopted
this shield from the Order of Mercy, a 13th century order of monks devoted to the
care of the sick in hospitals.
The right side of the shield bears symbols reflecting the University. The upper
right field contains the Griffin, the Celtic mythical creature that acknowledges
the Welsh ancestry of Gwynedd Valley. In English armory, a Griffin has the
foreparts of an eagle and the hind parts of a lion with each body part having special
significance – the ears, signifying attention; the wings, celerity of execution; the
lion-like shape, courage; the hooked bill, perseverance and tenacity. In folklore,
the Griffin is envisioned as a creature of enormous strength and vigor and an
emblem of valor and magnanimity; the Griffin is also acknowledged as the
guardian of hidden treasure.
In the right center are three roundels taken from the coat-of-arms of William
Penn, which acknowledges the University’s location in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. These three roundels symbolize Byzantine coins denoting an
ancestor of Penn who was involved in the Crusades. In the lower right field, the
lamp of learning represents the passing of knowledge from one generation to
another.
The gold crown of the House of Aragon (rulers in medieval Spain during the
Crusades when the Order of Mercy was founded in 1216) sits atop the shield of
honor and protects the followers of Mercy. Below the shield, the Latin motto
“Veritas et Misericordia” is translated as “Truth and Mercy.” The entire
University community is called to embrace Truth and Mercy.