The floral coat of arms of Pope Leo XIV has been completed in the Vatican Gardens, on the slope that extends in front of the Palace of the Governorate of Vatican City State and descends toward the apse of St. Peter’s Basilica. Hundreds of colorful plants, like pieces of a mosaic, have formed a true masterpiece of floral art. Like previous papal coats of arms, it will be admired each year by thousands of people from a privileged vantage point: the dome of the Vatican Basilica.

The design was created by the Gardens and Environment Service of the Directorate of Infrastructure and Services of the Governorate, which took approximately two weeks to complete, as it involved developing the new design and then reproducing it on the ground. On average, two people worked per day, who, with skill and artistic creativity, made this floral arrangement possible.

The Coat of Arms

The structure of the frame into which the details of the coat of arms are inserted remains the same as that of Pope Francis. It consists of a miter—recreated with Buxus sempervirens pumila variety—placed between two crossed keys, one gold and one silver, joined by a red cord. The golden key was represented with Euonymus aureus, also known as variegated euonymus, which is frequently pruned to keep it dwarf and maintain its characteristic yellowish hue. The silver key was reproduced with Helichrysum italicum, a seasonal plant that must be replaced at least once a year to maintain its color. The red cords that join the keys were made with Iresine brillantissima in summer and Viola cornuta red in winter.

Different types of plants were used for the papal coat of arms, divided diagonally into two sections. In the upper left corner, on a blue background, a white lily is depicted, a symbol of purity and virginity, reminiscent of the Virgin Mary.

The emblem of the Order of Saint Augustine

To reproduce the blue color, 400 Ageratum Blue Star plants from Pope Francis’ coat of arms were reused. The lily was made from 50 Helichrysum italicum plants, propagated by cuttings by the greenhouse maintenance manager of the Gardens and Environment Service.

On the other half of the coat of arms, in the lower part on a light background, is the emblem of the Order of Saint Augustine: a heart pierced by an arrow on a book. This symbol alludes to the conversion of Saint Augustine and represents the Word of God that wounds the heart of the holy Doctor of the Church, who explained: Vulnerasti cor meum Verbo tuo (“You have wounded my heart with your Word”).

For the light portion of the shield, 400 Semperflorens Night Life begonias with bronze leaves and white flowers were used. The heart was created with Iresine lindenii plants, also propagated by cuttings by the greenhouse manager. To reproduce the book, the ironworks department of the Directorate of Infrastructure and Services collaborated, fabricating metal sheets to give it its shape. Red volcanic rock and white gravel were placed inside.

Nature, with its splendor and colors, combined with the mastery of the Vatican gardeners, has given life to a jewel of art and beauty.