Dominus illuminatio mea

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Arms of the University of Oxford, including the motto Coat of arms of the University of Oxford.svg
Arms of the University of Oxford, including the motto
At the University of Oxford's Faculty of History, the motto can be seen at left. Faculty of History, University of Oxford motto.jpg
At the University of Oxford's Faculty of History, the motto can be seen at left.

Dominus illuminatio mea (Latin for 'The Lord is my light') is the incipit (opening words) of Psalm 27 and is used by the University of Oxford as its motto. It has been in use there since at least the second half of the sixteenth century, and it appears in the coat of arms of the university.

An article written in 2000 by the Roman Catholic priest and theologian Ivan Illich (1926–2002) may help to explain this ancient university motto, at a time when scientists were progressively replacing the concept of vision as a gaze radiating from the pupil by the concept of vision as the retinal perception of an image formed by reflected sunlight:

To interpret De oculo morali, the relationship of things to God "who is light" must be understood. This is the century [i.e., the thirteenth century] suffused by the idea that the world rests in God's hands, that it is contingent on Him. This means that at every instant everything derives its existence from his continued creative act. Things radiate by virtue of their constant dependence on this creative act. They are alight by the God-derived luminescence of their truth. [1]

Other uses

Dominus illuminatio mea is also the motto of Loyola High School (Kolkata) in India, founded in 1961. [2]

It is one of the two mottos of Robert College in Istanbul, and it has appeared in the arms of the Robert College Alumni Association since 1957, next to Veritas.[ citation needed ]

It is also the motto of Finlandia University, founded as Suomi College in 1896.[ citation needed ]

Additionally, it is the motto of Cair Paravel-Latin School, a private college-preparatory school in Topeka, Kansas,[ citation needed ] and Nazareth Academy in Rochester, New York. It is also used by St Leo's College, University of Queensland, and by Drew University in Madison, NJ.[ citation needed ]

It is found in the coat of arms of Montessori Professional College in Quezon City.

Furthermore, it is the motto of Hallfield Independent School in Birmingham, UK, and Marymount Secondary School in Hong Kong, as well as Gregorian Public School in Kerala, India.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veritas</span> Goddess of truth in Roman mythology

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<i>Hibernia</i> Classical Latin name for Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivan Illich</span> Austrian philosopher and theologian (1926–2002)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seal of Colorado</span> Official government emblem of the U.S. state of Colorado

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loyola High School (Montreal)</span> Independent school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the University of Oxford</span>

The coat of arms of the University of Oxford depicts an open book with the inscription Dominus Illuminatio Mea, surrounded by three golden crowns. It is blazoned:

Azure, upon a book open proper leathered gules garnished or having on the dexter side seven seals of the last the words DOMINVS ILLVMINATIO MEA all between three open crowns two and one or.

Light of God may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 27</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 27 is the 27th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 26. In Latin, it is known as "Dominus illuminatio mea".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 127</span>

Psalm 127 is the 127th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Except the Lord build the house". In Latin, it is known by the incipit of its first 2 words, "Nisi Dominus". It is one of 15 "Songs of Ascents" and the only one among them attributed to Solomon rather than David.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unity makes strength</span> Motto of many countries

"Unity makes strength" is a motto that has been used by various states and entities throughout history. It is used by Belgium, Bulgaria, Haiti, Malaysia and Georgia on their coats of arms and is the national motto of Belgium, Bolivia, Malaysia, Georgia and Bulgaria.

<i>Ad maiorem Dei gloriam</i> "For the greater glory of God."

Ad maiorem Dei gloriam or Ad majórem Dei glóriam, also rendered as the abbreviation AMDG, is the Latin motto of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), an order of the Catholic Church. It means "For the greater glory of God."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heraldry of McGill University</span>

The coat of arms of McGill University is the official emblem of the university and derives from a heraldic device assumed during the lifetime of the university's founder, James McGill. The first iteration was designed in 1906 by Percy Nobbs, then director of the McGill School of Architecture. The design subsequently varied for decades after until the university's current coat of arms, largely resembling the original design, was finally adopted by the Board of Governors in 1975. Today, the university has approved multiple logos across its faculties and departments, including a separate coat of arms used by the Macdonald Campus.

References

  1. Ivan Illich, "Guarding the Eye in the Age of Show" (PDF). Online Book, 2001, p. 16-17.
  2. "Loyola High School (Kolkata)". Loyola High School Website. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018.