- The Governor General of Canada
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Association des Richard du Nouveau-Brunswick Inc.
Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick
Grant of Arms
July 15, 2009
Vol. V, p. 461
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Blazon
Arms
Or a schooner Azure, its hull inscribed ACADIE in letters Or, set on a sea of pot marigold flowers proper, a chief of Acadia (tierced in pale Azure a mullet Or, Argent and Gules);
Motto
VIDIMUS STELLAM EJUS;
Symbolism
Arms
The Association’s arms are inspired by those adopted by Mgr. Marcel-François Richard (1847-1915) when he was appointed to the Roman prelature as domestic prelate by papal brief on March 25, 1905. From his arms are taken not only the Acadian flag, shown here in chief, but also the schooner bearing the word “Acadia,” here in French as “Acadie,” and the motto VIDIMUS STELLAM EJUS. Mgr. Richard championed the adoption of the tricolour with the star during the 1884 Convention nationale des Acadiens. This is certainly the main reason for its inclusion in his own coat of arms. The schooner is also featured on the arms of the Société nationale de l’Acadie (SNA) and at one time appeared on the badge of the delegates to the national conventions. The word ACADIE, written in upper case, also appeared on a banner on the mast on the delegates’ badge at the 1884 national convention and is found on the arms of the SNA. The pot marigold flowers (fleurs de souci in French) evoke the memory of the first ancestor, Michel Richard dit Sansoucy, who came to Acadia as part of an expedition under Emmanuel Le Borgne, Governor of Acadia from 1657 to 1667. His surname, Sansoucy, suggests that he served in a military regiment before coming to Acadia.
Motto
Meaning “We have seen his star”, the Association’s Latin motto is the same motto adopted and borne by Mgr. Richard. It is inspired by the Gospel of St. Matthew 2:2 and refers to the Stella Maris, or star of the sea, a Marian symbol and the principal symbol on the Acadian flag.