The Coat of Arms of His Excellency

 The Most Reverend David Laurin Ricken,
D.D. J.C.L., Bishop of Cheyenne

Significance:
The episcopal heraldic achievement, or bishop's coat of arms, is composed of a shield, with its charges (symbols), a motto scroll and the external ornaments. The shield, which is the central and most important feature of any heraldic device, is described (blazoned) in 12th century terms, that are archaic to our modern language. By heraldic tradition, the arms of the bishop of a diocese, called the "Ordinary" are joined to the arms of his jurisdiction, seen in the left side of the shield. In this case, these are the arms of the Diocese of Cheyenne.

The arms are made of a field that is divided by embattlements to signify that Cheyenne was a frontier fortification during the westward expansion of the United States and is named for the Native Americans. In each section created by the central division is a cross of the Faith, indicating the truth of Christ that was brought to the area by dedicated missionaries during the 1800s.

For his personal arms on the right side of the shield, Bishop Ricken kept the major concepts rendered by Archbishop Monte Zemolo, the Apostolic Nuncio to Italy. These are composed of two sections, divided to signify the frontier settlements of Fort Dodge in Kansas, which gave rise to Dodge City where Bishop Ricken was born and that it was at Colorado's Fort Pueblo where the Bishop received his priestly ordination to serve that diocese. In the lower right hand portion, is a red heart enwrapped by a crown of golden thorns, used to signify the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was in Dodge City's Sacred Heart Cathedral that the Bishop received his Sacraments on Initiation and at Pueblo's Sacred Heart Cathedral that he served as Parochial Vicar for five years.

The upper portion of Bishop Ricken's design (upper right) contains an eight pointed golden star. This honors the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom the Bishop has great devotion and to whom he has dedicated his Episcopal ministry.

For his motto, Bishop Ricken uses the three Latin words - Caritas - Sapientia - Fortitudo. These express the three most important virtues in the Bishop's life and toward which he has directed his ministry as a bishop: Charity, Wisdom and Fortitude or Courage.

The external ornaments of a gold Episcopal processional cross and a pontifical hat, called a "gallero" with six tassels are the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop, by instruction of the Holy See on March 31, 1969.

Shield developed and explained provided by Deacon Paul Sullivan of the Diocese of Providence.