A T E N E O
S E A L S A N D M E D A L S
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This seal was introduced for the 50th Anniversary or Golden Jubilee of the Ateneo de Manila. Father Joaquin Aņon, SJ (1905 - 1910) was then the Rector. Granted to the Ateneo in 1909, the seal was circular in form framed by two semi-circular ribbons. The upper ribbon of the Ateneo seal bore the motto "Lux in Domino" - Light in the Lord, a phrase taken from St. Paul. The lower ribbon bore the school's name: Ateneo de Manila. Within the circular frame, upon a gold background, was a large silver star, six-pointed like the Star of David. This was the emblem of Mary, Mother of God, of the House of David, Patroness of the Philippines and of the Ateneo. Encased in the center of this silver star was the oval escutcheon of Manila, which had been granted to the City in 1596 by King Philip II of Spain with an oval shield divided (as the heraldic experts would say) "per fesse": that is, it was divided horizontally into two portions. The upper portion showed a castle or battlemented tower on a red field. The lower portion was blue (signifying the ocean) upon which swam a golden animal with the head of a lion and the body and tail of a dolphin. This sea-lion brandished a sword in its right paw. Surcharged upon the Manila escutcheon was the emblem of the Jesuits: a tiny green shield upon which was a white (or silver) circle containing the letters IHS - the first three letters of the Name of Jesus in Greek. |
1A) Front: Colegio dirigido por los PP. de la Compaņia de Jesus; Al Merito y a la Virtud 1B) Back: Lux in Domino; Ateneo de Manila
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 Father Richard A. O'Brien, SJ who was a
Marine Officer and Chaplain was Rector for the period 1927 to 1933. Possibly as part
of his preparations for the Diamond Jubilee of the Ateneo, he introduced the use of the
seal of the Soldier-Saint Ignatius Loyola in 1929.Like the seal of 1909, this seal is circular in shape, with the identical border: "Lux in Domino" on top and "Ateneo de Manila" below. Jesuit monogram - IHS is contained in a circular sun emitting rays in every direction. Under this sun is a shield divided "in pale" into two parts. On the dexter or right side (but to the left of the beholder) is a bendy of fifteen pieces, alternating in color, red and gold. On the sinister or left side (but to the right of the beholder) is a white field upon which are the wolves and pot (lobos y olla) of Loyola. The wolves are standing on their hind legs, reaching with their forepaws for the pot which hangs from the ceiling. Tradition tells us that this was an emblem of generosity: the lords of Loyola used to provide so much food for their followers that there would be plenty left over in the pot to feed the wolves of the countryside. |
2) Front: Lux in Domino Ateneo de Manila |
In 1952, under the direction of the Father Rector James J. McMahon, SJ (1950-1956), the Ateneo's College and High School Departments transferred from Padre Faura to Loyola Heights. In 1959 when Ateneo was celebrating its centenary at the Loyola Heights campus, it was decided during the tenure of Father Rector Francisco Araneta, SJ (1959-1965) to combine the old seal (1909) with the new one (1929) -- to synthesize the past with the present. Since then, this joint seal has been used as official seal of the University, together with the 1929 seal originating from the family of St. Ignatius Loyola. |
*The stamp above represents a round seal in which are two oval shields surmounted by a large crown.
The small crown surmounting the tower in the sinister shield represents the Spanish sovereignty. The large crown surmounting both shields probably represents the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the Ateneo. In the first few years of the school's existence it was called Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion. When in 1901 the American government withdrew its subsidy from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, Father Rector Jose Clos, S.J. (1901-1905) changed the school's name to Ateneo de Manila but he retained the use of the same seal. This can be seen frolm the gold and silver medals in the University Archives, which medals were also captioned in an old photograph as "Premio de fin de curso". |
3A) Front: Ateneo Municipal de Manila a cargo de la Compaņia de Jesus
3B) Back: Al Merito y a la Virtud
4A) Front: Ateneo de Manila a cargo de la Compaņia de Jesus
4B) Back: Al Merito y a la Virtud |
Twenty-five years after the centenary,
an earlier seal than the 1909 seal was discovered. On 13NOV84 some personal papers
of Silvino Dayco (AB 1916 Magna Cum Laude) were obtained by the University Archives.
Among these is a metal pin, 4 cms. in width and in height, which also has the same
original seal. This item was considered very important as it did prove the existence
of the first seal of the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, as related with our gold and
silver medals, organized in 1972, and also with the seal stamped on a page of an 1868
philosophy book by Father Matthew Liberatore, SJ.
In the dexter shield (to the left of the
beholder) is the Jesuit monogram: the three initial letters of the name of Jesus in
Greek -- IHS -- with the H surmounted by a cross and three nails beneath with points
joined downward. In the sinister shield (to the right of the beholder) is the coat of arms
of the City of Manila: the tower surmounted by a detached crown in the upper half,
the sea lion with the sword in its paw in the lower. Around the whole, inside the rim, are
the words: ATENEO / MUNICIPAL / MANILA.
 Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cortina
visited on 14NOV95 bringing with them some collection of old medals, and while going over
these, there was a quick recognition of the Escuela Municipal medal, which they willingly
allowed to be reproduced for the use by University Archives.The very first official seal of the Ateneo has the words: Escuela Municipal Manila, its name when, as the only public elementary school that existed at the time, this was entrusted by the Manila City Government officials in December 1859 to Rev. Jose Fernandez Cuevas, SJ in compliance with the October decree issued by Governor General Fernando de Norzagaray. |
5A) Front: Escuela Municipal Manila
5B) Back: Al Merito y a la Virtud and IHS |
