Eagle of Saint John

John the Evangelist, the author of the fourth gospel account, is symbolized by an eagle, often with a halo, an animal may have originally been seen as the king of the birds.

The better known heraldic use of the Eagle of St. John has been the single supporter chose by Queen Isabella of Castile in her armorial achievement used as heiress and later integrated into the heraldry of the Catholic Monarchs.

[2] There is a magnificent tapestry with the armorial achievement of the Catholic Monarchs in the Throne Room of the Alcazar of Segovia.

[4] The Eagle of the Evangelist was recovered as single supporter holding in 1938, 1945 and 1977 official models of the armorial achievement of Spain[5] and it was removed in 1981 when the current coat of arms was adopted.

[6] Prominent examples of the use of St. John's Eagle in heraldry across the world include the heraldry or emblems of: Valparaíso City (Chile); Boyacá Department (Colombia); Catholic Archdiocese of Besançon (France); Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg (Germany); Lima City (Peru); Kisielice, Kwidzyn District and county, Oleśnica Town and county (Poland); Gata and the 29th Infantry Regiment "Isabel la Católica" (Spain); Lääne county, Haapsalu town and Kuressaare town (Estonia); and the St. John's College (University of Sydney, Australia).