Sancta Maria Catholic Primary School
Our Crest
Our Crest
"When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." John 19:26-27
Our crest is a visual representation of all our hopes, desires and dreams for our school. It was very important for our Establishment Committee that our school crest be identifiable and reflects our love and relationship with Sancta Maria. The overall image and gentle curves is uncluttered and one of simplicity and humility to reflect the nature of Mary.
The shape of the crest is representative of a stained glass church window. “I will lay stones with fair colours, and lay their foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones." Isaiah 54: 11-12
Light, as the first act of God’s creation, was seen as the purest manifestation of God’s presence and stained glass windows come to life only when illuminated by light.
The white borderaround the outside of the crest represents the purity of Sancta Maria and the strength and determination she displayed throughout the entirety of her life. This white border meets at the base of the crest and forms the shape of the cross, which is the most recognisable symbol of Christianity, reflecting Mary’s presence at Calvary when Jesus, her son, gave his life for us.
The white borderaround the outside of the crest represents the purity of Sancta Maria and the strength and determination she displayed throughout the entirety of her life. This white border meets at the base of the crest and forms the shape of the cross, which is the most recognisable symbol of Christianity, reflecting Mary’s presence at Calvary when Jesus, her son, gave his life for us.
The cross on our crest is situated in central position as a reflection that our Christian Catholic Values are central to all activities at Sancta Maria Catholic Primary School. The use of the white against blue makes the cross prominent without being the largest image on the crest. Like Mary, ever present in the life of Christ Jesus, whilst taking a quiet, contented and modest role.
The beautiful shape in the centre of the crest is reflective of Sancta Maria looking down in a nurturing way, onto the face of the child looking towards her. Mother and child are fluid and joined in their shape reflecting unity and connection, the importance of relationships in our school community. The shape is rounded at the top and comes into a point at the base behind the cross, the imagery of a heart shape to reinforce our belief that Mary is the heart of our Catholic Church.
This central shape was also designed with the concept of a Maori Koru in mind. This represents our respect of the principles of and our obligation to the Treaty of Waitangi at Sancta Maria Catholic Primary School. It symbolises our commitment to Maori spirituality as part of our Religious Education learning. The Koru also depicts new beginnings, as Sancta Maria Catholic Primary School is a new school, a primary school, serving a new parish in a new town, Flat Bush.
The colours of the crest are simple and strong. They are the colours of Sancta Maria, as she is so often depicted in flowing blue and white robes.
As stressed earlier the full name of our school is so significant that it is included as part of the crest, at the base, reflecting that our patron, Sancta Maria, is the foundation stone of our school and all it is.
Returning to the overall shape of the crest, the three points ~ at the top and base corners illustrate our commitment to growing in faith in Christ Jesus, needs home, parish and school ~ all three ~ working together.