Eparchy of Bihać and Petrovac
Seat: Bosanski Petrovac
- Seat
- Bosanski Petrovac
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
- State
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Coat of arms
- made with the blessing given in 2023, presented in 2024.
- Design
- Board for Heraldic and Genealogical Studies of the CZIPM
- Heraldic artist
- Damjan D. Ilić
- Herald
- Deacon Nenad M. Jovanović
- Official website
- eparhijabihackopetrovacka.org
The Eparchy of Bihać and Petrovac was founded in 1925 with its seat in Bihać, and today its seat is in Bosanski Petrovac; it covers western Bosnia and Herzegovina — Bihać, Petrovac, Drvar, Glamoč, Livno and their surroundings.
The new arms of the eparchy were produced with the episcopal blessing of Bishop Sergije of Bihać and Petrovac (E. no. 198/23 of 10 April 2023) and presented in April 2024. They were produced by the heraldic team of the Board for Heraldic and Genealogical Studies of the Centre for Research of Orthodox Monarchism — the heraldic artist Damjan D. Ilić, engineer, and Deacon Nenad M. Jovanović in the capacity of herald. The arms retain the motifs of the earlier insignia — the edelweiss, the ruins of the church at Kolunić, the Rmanj Monastery and the rivers — but arrange them according to the rules of heraldry, with external ornaments appropriate to the rank of an eparchy.
Blazon
Divided horizontally, with the upper field divided vertically and a silver base: in the first, blue field a silver edelweiss with a gold centre; in the second, blue, the west front of the ruins of the Church of Saint George (the Panađur Monastery) at Kolunić, in natural colours; in the third, blue, the south front of the katholikon of the Rmanj Monastery in natural colours; in the base three blue wavy bars.
Above the shield, a bishop's mitre.
Behind the shield, a processional cross and a bishop's crozier, crossed, golden.
Two angels in white chitons and dark red cloaks, with gold wings and halos, standing on silver clouds.
Beneath the shield, a black prayer rope with a golden cross.
Symbolism and meaning
The three blue wavy bars in the base represent the rivers Una, Sana and Unac. The ruins of the Church of Saint George at Kolunić and the katholikon of the Rmanj Monastery are holy places in the territory of the eparchy, and the edelweiss, a mountain flower, recalls the karst mountains of western Bosnia. The mitre, cross and staff, the angel supporters and the prayer rope denote the rank of an eparchy.
