the father of the Protestant Reformation and founder of the Lutheran Church,
designed this seal to symbolize his personal theological beliefs.
Luther designed this Seal while he was a Professor at Wittenberg.
The exact date is unknown. It seems to be in use as early as 1519 or 1520.
The Lutheran Seal, also known as "Luther's Rose" or "Luther's Seal", is now
generally used to symbolize the Lutheran Church.
Luther describes this emblem as follows:
There is first to be a cross, black in a heart, which should be of its natural color,
so that I myself would be reminded that faith in the Crucified saves us. For if one
believes from the heart he will be justified.
Even though it is a black cross, which mortifies and which also should hurt
us, yet it leaves the heart in its natural color and does not ruin nature;
that is, it does not kill but keeps alive. For the just man lives by faith,
but by faith in the Crucified One.
Such a heart is to be in the midst of a white rose, to symbolize that faith
gives joy, comfort, and peace; in a word it places the believer into a white joyful
rose; for this faith does not give peace and joy as the world gives and, therefore,
the rose is to be white and not red, for white is the color of the spirits and of
all the angels.
Such a rose is to be in a sky-blue field, symbolizing that such joy in the Spirit and
in faith is a beginning of the future heavenly joy; it is already a part of faith,
and is grasped through hope, even though not yet manifest. And around this field is a
golden ring, [symbolizing] that in heaven such blessedness lasts forever and has no end,
in addition is precious beyond all joy and goods, just as gold is the most valuable
precious metal.
Philadelphia, 1972, pp. 358-359)
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The lyrics were written by Martin Luther. LYRICS