what are the coats of arms for the twelve apostles

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Clarification of Question by aussie_frontiersman-ga on 07 Dec 2004 05:01 PST

I have been told that they have each a coat of arms

I'm not sure if all twelve desciples have coats of arms or symbols;
but the four apostles - Matthew, Mark, Luke & John - have symbols,
respectively, of a human being, lion, ox and eagle. See the following
website for information (inc many images) on those symbols, on some
alternatives, and much else of a religious nature - 
http://myweb.lmu.edu/fjust/Evangelists_Symbols.htm

The prophecy of the four beasts is found in the Bible at Daniel
chapter 7. They refer to four world powers [ verse 17] or kings.
Daniel 7;17.."As for these huge beasts, because they are four, there
are four Kings that will stand up from the earth".
The lion, the bear, a beast like a leopard, and a fourth beast, unusually strong.
The Bible does not associate any of the Apostles with beasts, because
the Apostles were humble simple men who recognised Jesus as the
promised Messiah.
And they had none of the traits of beasts.

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable has an entry on Apostles and
lists their symbols and attributes. Here it is:



Apostles The badges or symbols of fourteen apostles.
Andrew, a cross, because he was crucified on a cross shaped like the letter x.
Bartholomew, a knife, because he was flayed with a knife.
James the Greater, a scallop-shell, a pilgrim's staff, or a gourd
bottle, because he is the patron saint of pilgrims. (See Scallop
Shell.)
James the Less, a fuller's pole, because he was killed by a blow on
the head with a pole, dealt him by Simeon the fuller.
John, a cup with a winged serpent flying out of it, in allusion to the
tradition about Aristodemos, priest of Diana, who challenged John to
drink a cup of poison. John made the sign of a cross on the cup, Satan
like a dragon flew from it, and John then drank the cup, which was
quite innocuous.
Judas Iscariot, a bag, because he had the bag and "bare what was put
therein" (John xii. 6).
Jude, a club, because he was martyred with a club.
Matthew, a hatchet or halbert, because he was slain at Nadabar with a halbert.
Matthias, a battle-axe, because he was first stoned, and then beheaded
with a battle-axe.
Paul, a sword, because his head was cut off with a sword. The convent
of La Lisha, in Spain, boasts of possessing the very instrument.
Peter, a bunch of keys, because Christ gave him the "keys of the
kingdom of heaven." A cock, because he went out and wept bitterly when
he heard the cock crow. (Matt. xxvi. 75.)
Philip, a long staff surmounted with a cross, because he suffered
death by being suspended by the neck to a tall pillar.
Simon, a saw, because he was sawn to death, according to tradition.
Thomas, a lance because he was pierced through the body, at Meliapour,
with a lance.

You can find an online Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable at
http://www.bibliomania.com

I hope this is what you wanted to know. I'm not a Google researcher,
so this is a freebie.
Best wishes,
Amber

And you might also be interested to know that a French King, Louis XI,
made the Apostles peers of France. This is mentioned in Brewer's entry
on the peerage of the Apostles:

Peerage of the Apostles 
"In the preamble of the statutes instituting the Order of St. Michael,
founded in 1469 by Louis XI., the archangel is styled ?my lord,? and
is created a knight. The apostles had been already ennobled and
knighted. We read of ?the Earl Peter,? ?Count Paul,? ?the Baron
Stephen,? and so on. Thus, in the introduction of a sermon upon St.
Stephen's Day, we have these lines:-
?Contes vous vueille la patron
De St. Estieul le baron.?
?The Apostles were gentlemen of bloude ... and Christ ... might, if He
had esteemed of the vayne glorye of this world, have borne coat
armour.?- The Blazon of Gentrie.
   I myself was intimate with a rector who always laid especial stress
on the word Lord, applied to Jesus Christ. "

So, if you meet St Peter at the Pearly gates you may address him as
befits a peer of France.
Amber

I've been dipping into Brewer's some more. It makes excellent bedtime
reading. There's an entry on the 'Virgin Mary's Guard' too.

"Virgin Mary's Guard (The) : the Scotch Guard of France, organised in
1448 by Charles VII.  Louis XI made the Virgin Mary their colonel.
Disbanded in 1830."

So, Louis XI seems to have been very enthusiastic about bestowing
titles on the saints.
Amber