St. Anne Catholic Church was a traditional congregation in a historical Lancaster City location with a growing congregation of Vietnamese-Americans and Vietnamese immigrants. For their 100th anniversary, the two churches became united under a new name which better expressed who they are—no longer named only for St. Anne, the traditional name of the mother of Mary—the church became St. Anne & Our Lady of LaVang Parish. Our Lady of La Vang is the title given to the Virgin Mary, who is believed to have appeared to a group of persecuted Vietnamese Catholics in the forest of La Vang in 1798.
The logo needed to incorporate a complex set of traditional and unifying elements, described by their committee:
When discussing the brand – our identity – the group feels strongly that our logo needs to show the warmth and love of our community – and our namesakes – Anne, the Mother of Mary .. and Our Lady of LaVang – her daughter and the Mother of Jesus. Seeing Anne wrap her arms around her daughter feels so right… but, we also remember that Mary always points to her Son.
The relationship between mother and daughter – and Mary’s YES to bring the Savior into the world we find compelling. Unity, Faith, Joy, Virtue and Love …
It was a complex challenge for this decidedly protestant designer, but in the end it turned out beautifully.
Colors:
Traditional colors associated with St. Anne (red) and Our Lady of La Vang (blue), plus gold to highlight and draw focus to Christ; these colors also point toward the colors of the Vietnamese flag.
Shapes:
Base of the logo is the shape of a golden book, which symbolizes that our foundation is found in God’s Word; overall shape of the logo is a stained glass window, which highlights the heritage/tradition of Catholic church buildings
Depiction of Figures:
St. Anne’s down-turned eyes and the angles created by her head covering draw the viewer’s eye toward the other figures; her solemn face reflects the long-established iconography depicting St. Anne’s serious demeaner and mother/guardian position. Her ethnic features and dress are depicted using a mix of middle eastern Israeli tradition with the influence of the European artists who created the most well-known depictions of her likeness.
Mary is shown in historic Lady of La Vang styling, with Vietnamese appearance and her blue khan dong hat with 12 stars. She looks straight ahead with a peaceful expression as she presents the Christ child as the focal point of the design.
Jesus is shown in clothing styled in the traditional Vietnamese dress with an ethnically neutral appearance; his expression is sweet, kind, and welcoming. He seems at peace and at home in the arms of His mother and grandmother, just as those attending or visiting the church will feel welcomed and at home.
