The College Crest

In 1929 Fr. T. Molina, who was a keen student of heraldry and a member of our staff, designed the crest of the College, which he described in the following technical terms :

"Sable, an eagle displayed argent, beaked and armed or, between two eaglets close, respecting each other, of the second; a chief play azure and gules, the dexter charged with the monogram of Jesus, issuant therefrom a cross calvary erect, in base three nails in pile, points downwards, the whole within a circle irradiated, all or, SOCIETY OF JESUS; the sinister with a crescent inverted, chequy argent and sable, XAVIER. Motto : PROVOCANS AD VOLANDUM.

In plain simple language this means that our crest shows an eagle teaching its young ones to fly. Above it, on the left side, is the emblem of the Society of Jesus, which consists of the Greek initials of the name of Jesus set in a sun; on the right is a chequered moon, taken from the arms of the house of Xavier. The motto in Latin is taken from the Bible and refers to the eagle who encourages (its young ones) to soar aloft.

So the whole crest symbolizes an educational institution that bears the name of Xavier and is run by the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuit Order, and that has as its ideal, to inspire the young men and women entrusted to its care and to train them to aim high in life.

Technically well conceived and artistically executed, the "College Badge" has been cherished by many generations of Xaverians.