If anyone were to ask someone else to think of the symbol or logo of Xavier High School, what would he think of? He would think of the black and white falcon, a common logo of the school. However, even if this logo is quite common, it does not truly bear the closest association with the deeper purpose and history of Xavier. The emblem which truly represents Xavier and values is its crest. This crest is packed full of seven symbols representing parts of life at Xavier.
The center of the Xavier seal depicts a torch. The torch stands for truthfulness. Jesus as always is the perfect example for truthfulness, but sometimes truthfulness cannot be proven, and faith is required. That faith relationship with Jesus is trust, one of the five Xaverian values. The original Xaverian brothers needed to have faith God and trust him to provide for the growth and strength of the mission. The very existence of Xavier High School today and its fellow twelve Xaverian schools in the XBSS network are a testament to the greatness that is achieved with faith. In the classes here at Xavier, one must have trust in one’s teacher as a reliable source of information, the connection between the symbolism of the torch and the daily lives of students.
Placed around the “X” positioned on the shield of the emblem are the rings, heart, and flower. The heart represents goodness and loving all that is good. In the first chapter of Genesis in the bible, the phrase “God saw that it was good” is used in all the parts of creation of the world as we know it, therefore, to love what is good, we must love all of God’s creation, to see the hidden goodness present in all things. The flower represents beauty and recognition of beauty, further emphasizing how one should see beauty and goodness in all things of the world. The rings encapsulate both ideas along with the torch as an icon for truth, goodness, and beauty, three things that all men should seek.
The rest of the inner sections of the seal all pertain to St. Francis Xavier and his works. The “X” is meant to honor both the school, the Xaverian order, and St. Francis Xavier himself. The two crosses on either side of the shield and the one slightly more hidden in the center are there for the three missionary trips of Xavier to India, China, and Japan. The five stripes are for the coat of arms of the Xavier family. These stripes were originally blue and silver and can be seen as such in the front foyer at Xavier but were simplified for the more common use of the seal to black and white. The top of the shield is like a castle wall, for the Castle of Norwich, the symbol of the Norwich Diocese. Above the shield is the flaming heart of Jesus, the lance, nails, sponge, read and the inscription “IHS,” an abbreviation of the Greek form of Jesus’ name. This assortment of little icons and symbols are for the Xavier order of brothers whose mission for education established our Xavier High School and their connected other schools.
The entire seal for Xavier High School captures the purpose, meaning, and history of the school. Whether its infrequent usage detracts from its value or gives it more appreciation for its rarity, an understanding of it helps people to develop a deeper comprehension of Xavier’s historically rich background. The seal is full of information and the perfect representation of Xavier High School and its mission.
Sources:
https://www.xavierhighschool.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1788234&type=d&pREC_ID=1962336