The Diocesan Coat of Arms
The current coat of arms of the Diocese of Spiš, designed by the prominent heraldist Zdenko Alexy, was approved in 1976 by the Ordinary of Spiš, Štefan Garaj, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the diocese's establishment. The dominant red field of the shield depicts the silver facade of the Cathedral of Saint Martin in Spišská Kapitula. The silver chief of the shield bears three eight-pointed gold stars. Although combining two metals (gold and silver) normally violates fundamental heraldic rules, in this case, it is a deliberate historical reference to the personal coat of arms of Pope Pius VI. It was during his pontificate that the Diocese of Spiš was officially erected in 1776, and this founding symbol is derived directly from his papal arms.
Map of the Diocese
The Diocese of Spiš spans a vast territory in northern and central Slovakia, covering an area of more than 7,800 km². Historically, it unites three beautiful regions—Orava, Liptov, and Spiš. Since 1776, the spiritual and administrative center of this territory, which is divided into 14 deaneries and 180 parishes, has been the ancient Spišská Kapitula, today a part of the town of Spišské Podhradie.
