New Coat Of Arms For Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI has included traditional Bavarian elements and a nod to St. Augustine in his papal coat of arms, the diocese of Munich and Friesing said Monday.

A crowned Ethiopian, a bear and a mussel - all of which appear on the insignia of the diocese - also appear in the three-sectored insignia chosen by Benedict.

The bear, which is saddled with heavy packs, symbolizes the weight of the papal office, the diocese said in a statement.

It has its origins in a Bavarian legend concerning the diocese's patron, Korbinian, who encountered the animal while on a trip to Rome. The bear ate Korbinian's mule, and God saddled it with the mule's packs.

The mussel dates back to a parable by St. Augustine - about whose works the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote his final thesis -- and symbolizes "diving into the groundless sea of God," the diocese said.