Sometime Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Great Britain

Patron of Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society, 1980-2003

Biography

The Most Rev. Bruno Bernard Heim was born in Olten, Switzerland on March 5th, 1911, the son of Bernard and Elisabeth Heim-Studer. His artistic talent was evident at an early age. He was introduced to heraldry at the age of 16 when a college professor persuaded him to illustrate a book the professor was writing. Thus began a lifelong interest in the subject.

Archbishop Heim was ordained a priest in 1938 and finally retired as Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Court of St James’s in 1985. Early in his wide-ranging scholastic and ecclesiastical career, he encountered Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, no mean heraldist in his own right, who was to become Pope John XXIII.

Examples of his heraldic work that can be found on the Internet include:

• Bishop Donald W. Wuerl
• Abbot with veiled crosier

Archbishop Heim died on March 18th, 2003.

Publications

• Heraldry in the Catholic Church, 1978 (revised and enlarged, 1981) – the standard text on the subject
• Armorial Liber Amicorum, 1981
• Or and Argent, 1994

Bibliography

• Obituary from The Daily Telegraph, Monday, March 24th, 2003
• Obituary from The Times, Tuesday, March 25th, 2003
• Obituary from The Guardian, Tuesday, March 25th, 2003
• Obituary from The Independent, Wednesday, March 26th, 2003

Membership of orders of chivalry

Besides being the Patron of the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society, Archbishop Heim was also a Council member of the International Heraldic Academy. He also held numerous positions in orders of chivalry:

• Grand Cross of the Order of Malta
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Finnish Lion
• Grand Cross of the Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Republic of Egypt
• Bailiff Grand Cross and Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order of St George
• Grand Officer of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
• Sub-Prelate of the Order of St John
• Officer of the Légion d'Honneur
• Member of various orders of merit of Germany, Italy and Austria

Scholastic and ecclesiastical career

The following is a brief summary only:

1934	Admitted a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) at the Thomas Aquinas University (Angelicum), Rome
1938	Ordained as a priest and Vicar in Basle and Arbon
1942	Study at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy for Diplomats, Rome
1943	Chief Chaplain for Italian and Polish Internees in Switzerland
1946	Admitted a Doctor in Canon Law (J.C.D.) at the Gregorian University
1947	Personal Secretary to the Papal Nuncio of France (Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, who was subsequently elected a Successor of St Peter as Pope John XXIII)
	Auditor at the Nunciature in Vienna
	Counsellor and Charge d'affaires at the Nunciature in Germany
1961	Appointed Apostolic Delegate to Scandinavia with the title of Archbishop of Xanthos
1966	Appointed Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Finland
1969	Appointed Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Egypt
1973	Appointed Apostolic Delegate to Great Britain
1982	Appointed Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Court of St James’s
1985	Retired