Lambda Chi Alpha History in the Making: Meaning Behind the Crest, Flag, and Seal

Taken from “Our Story: A History of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity” 

THE CRUCI-CRESCENT OR CREST

The crest is usually a decoration for the helmet. Originally it was a protection against sword cuts. Later it was elaborated into a symbol identifying the individual warrior or his house. Mason explained the use of our crest in these words: “For a further symbol we took the cross of St. George—who might almost be called the patron saint of brotherhoods. By a happy thought of one of our members, we placed the rising crescent behind the cross. As Brother Wurster (who is something of a poet) remarked, ‘There you have aspiration and sacrifice together, which follows out our motto’.”

THE FLAG

The flag displays a gold cross and crescent upon which is superimposed a green shield bearing the letters ΛΧΑ in gold, all of which is centered within an equilateral triangle of three gold stars on a purple ground. Chapters may place their Zeta letters in the upper right corner of their flag. In such cases, the letters should be one eighth the height of the flag. Mason described the flag this way: “From then on, all was plain sailing for a time. The flag is simply the cross and crescent, the motto, a ‘delta’ of three stars, and the zeta letter.” He also noted that, “a copy of this design is in the possession of our Sup. Em. Ar and an additional copy will be sent to any zeta on application. We hope to have all the flags made at
one time, and again save expense.”

THE SEAL

When a monarch signed a royal decree, he impressed his signet ring into the warm wax that had been attached to the document, and which identified his signature as official. Lambda Chi Alpha has adopted a seal design to serve a similar purpose as the impression made by the signet rings of historic kings. Our seal is used to identify the official documents and publications of the Fraternity. The design consists of the cross and crescent upon which is superimposed a shield bearing the letters of Lambda, Chi, and Alpha, above all of which appears a Gothic circle bearing in Greek the inscription, sigillum supremi concilii lca. The seal is in the colors purple, green, and gold.

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