"Semper Fidelis", or "Semper Fi" (IPA: sɛm pər ˈfаɪ) for short, is Latin for "Always faithful. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. " Best known to Americans as the motto of the United States Marine Corps[1], this phrase has served as a slogan for many families and entities dating as far back as the 14th century. Within the groups below, users are listed in chronological order according to when they are believed to have adopted the motto; however, in many cases dates of adoption are not well established.
Families and Individuals
- Lynch family (Ireland): Semper Fidelis is the family motto of the Lynch Family. The Lynches were one of the Tribes of Galway who were fourteen merchant families who dominated the political, commercial, and social life of the city of Galway in western Ireland between the 13th and 16th centuries. The Tribes of Galway ( Treibheanna na Gaillimhe) were fourteen merchant families who dominated the political commercial and social life of the city of Galway in western Galway (Gaillimh is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Members of the 'Tribes' were considered Old English gentry, and distinguished themselves from the Gaelic peoples who lived in the hinterland of the city. The Lynches were descended from William Le Petit who was one of the Norman knights who settled in Ireland following the grant of Ireland as a fiefdom by Pope Adrian IV to King Henry II of England in the early 12th century. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. Pope Adrian IV (or Hadrian IV – c 1100&ndash 1 September, 1159) born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope Semper Fidelis appears on the Lynch Family coat of arms. Although the earliest traceable reference to its doing so is James Hardiman's history of Galway published in 1820, the history of the family makes it likely that the motto was in use by the 14th or 15th century. James Hardiman (1782-1855 also known as Séamus Ó hArgadáin, was a librarian at Queen's College Galway.
- Edge family (England): The Edge family of Strelley, Nottinghamshire, were using the motto "Semper fidelis" by, at the latest, 1814 (see UK National Archives document reference DD/E/209/32-34). Nottinghamshire (abbreviated Notts) is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire List of archives A national archive is a central Archive maintained by a Nation.
- Lund Family
Cities
Exeter
The City of Exeter, in Devon, England, has used the motto since at least 1660, when it appears in a manuscript of the local chronicler, Richard Izacke. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Izacke claimed that the motto was adopted in 1588, to signify the city's loyalty to the English Crown. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Throughout the Commonwealth realms The Crown is an abstract metonymic concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of any government According to Izacke, it was Queen Elizabeth I who suggested that the city adopt this motto (perhaps in imitation of her own motto, Semper eadem, "Ever the same"); her suggestion is said to have come in a letter to "the Citizens of Exeter," in recognition of their gift of money toward the fleet that had defeated the Spanish Armada. The Spanish Armada ( Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, "Great and Most Fortunate Navy" or Armada Invencible, "Invincible John Hooker's map of Exeter of around 1586 shows the city's coat of arms without the motto, suggesting that the city's use of the motto is no older than this. John Hooker' may refer to John Hooker (a professor in Tepper School of Business Carnegie Mellon University John Hooker (English constitutionalist However the city archives do not hold any letter relating the to motto, and Grey (2005) argues that the Elizabethan origin of the motto may be no more than a local myth, since it is not recorded in contemporary chronicles, and that it may have been adopted at the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy to compensate for the city's less than total loyalty to the crown during the English Civil War. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists.
- The motto is also used by the Royal Navy warship HMS Exeter, which is named after the City of Exeter. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Five ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Exeter after the city of Exeter in Devon.
- There is a Masonic Lodge in Exeter, called "Lodge Semper Fidelis. A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge in Books of Constitutions is the basic organisation of Freemasonry. "
Lviv
The motto "Semper fidelis" is applied to the Ukrainian city of Lviv (in Latin, "Leopolis"; formerly Lwów in Polish) in 1658 by Pope Alexander VII in recognition of the city's key role in defending Europe from Muslim invasion. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Lviv ( Ukrainian: Львів, L’viv, Lwów Lemberg Львов L'vov; see also other names) is a major city in western Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Lviv ( Ukrainian: Львів, L’viv, Lwów Lemberg Львов L'vov; see also other names) is a major city in western History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Alexander VII may refer to Pope Alexander VII Alexander VII of Pskov A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all or large parts of the Armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory That same year, the Sejm (parliament) of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth passed the Semper fidelis Poloniae ["Ever Faithful to Poland"] Act (as most people construed the Latin phrase). The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic
Curiously, both Leopolis and Exeter, in addition to sharing the same motto, featured a three-turreted castle on their coats-of-arms. This is apparently a coincidence.
Today, in Poland, the motto is referenced mainly in connection with the Polish-Ukrainian War of 1919, following the collapse of Austro-Hungary in the wake of World War I, and more especially in connection with the Polish-Bolshevik War that followed. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All
In Ukraine, the phrase is much less used, in reference to the survival of the Ukrainian Church through the period of Soviet persecution. History Before the Union of Brest See also History of Christianity in Ukraine The Ukrainian Catholic church did not exist as such until the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991
St. Malo
"Semper fidelis" is the motto of the town of St. Malo, in Brittany, France; the date of its adoption is not known, but it appears to have been in use in the 17th century [1]. Saint-Malo ( Breton: Sant-Maloù; Gallo: Saent-Malô) is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.
White Plains
"Semper Fidelis" is the motto of the city of White Plains, in New York, United States. The City of White Plains is the County seat of Westchester County New York. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
Martial
The Devonshire Regiment and antecedents
The Devonshire Regiment of the British Army, the 11th of foot, adopted the motto "Semper fidelis" on its formation in 1881. The Devonshire Regiment was an Infantry Regiment of the British Army. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The motto was already in use by at least some of the Devon militia units from which the regiment was formed, the Illustrated London News reporting its use on a cap badge in its 7th January 1860 issue, and it is thought that it had been in use for many years before that. The Illustrated London News was a Magazine founded by Herbert Ingram and his friend Mark Lemon, the editor of Punch The motto was continued on the badges of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment when the Devonshires were amalgamated into them in 1958. The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry (usually known as the Devon and Dorset Regiment or just the Devon and Dorsets) was an Infantry Regiment Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This use of the motto evidently derives from the regiments' close connection with the city of Exeter, where they had a base for many years.
The West Nova Scotia Regiment
Semper fidelis is the motto of The West Nova Scotia Regiment (of the Canadian Forces), formed in 1936. The West Nova Scotia Regiment is a Primary Reserve Infantry Regiment of the Canadian Forces, twenty fourth in the order of precedence The Canadian Forces (CF ( French: Forces canadiennes) are the unified Armed forces of Canada, governed by the National Defence It inherited the motto from The Lunenburg Regiment, formed in 1870.
Cadetcorps of the Dutch Royal Military Academy
Semper fidelis is also the motto of the cadetscorps from the Dutch Royal Military Academy. The corps was founded in 1879.
The United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps adopted the motto Semper Fidelis in 1883, on the initiative of Colonel Charles McCawley (January 29, 1827 – October 13, 1891), the 8th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Charles Grymes McCawley ( 29 January 1827 &ndash 13 October 1891) was the eighth Commandant of the Marine Corps. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Commandant of the Marine Corps ( CMC) is the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
There were three mottos prior to Semper Fidelis including "Fortitudine" (meaning "with courage") antedating the War of 1812, which was a nod to the British Royal Marines, "Per Mare, Per Terram" ("by sea, by land") and, up until 1843, there was also the motto "To the Shores of Tripoli". The " Marines' Hymn " is the official Hymn of the United States Marine Corps. "Semper fidelis" signifies the dedication and loyalty that individual Marines have for "Corps and Country", even after leaving service. Marines frequently shorten the motto to "Semper Fi".
- "Semper Fidelis" is also the title of the official march of the United States Marine Corps, composed by John Philip Sousa in 1889. John Philip Sousa ( November 6, 1854 &ndash March 6, 1932) was an American Composer and conductor of the late Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Sousa was director of the United States Marine Band ("The President's Own") when a replacement for Hail to the Chief was requested, but later rejected. The United States Marine Band, colloquially known as "The President's Own", was established by an Act of Congress The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by "Hail to the Chief" is the official anthem of the President of the United States. Sousa considered it to be his "most musical" march. It was prominently featured in the movie A Few Good Men. A Few Good Men is a play by Aaron Sorkin, first produced on Broadway by David Brown in 1989 Charles Burr wrote the lyrics to the march and they can be found on Wikisource. Wikisource is a Wikimedia project to build a free, Wiki Library of Source texts along with translations into any language
- On the United States Marine Corps Seal, the eagle of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem holds a ribbon emblazoned "Semper Fidelis". The Eagle Globe and Anchor is the official emblem of the United States Marine Corps.
U. S. 11th Infantry Regiment
Semper Fidelis is the motto of the U.S. 11th Infantry Regiment. The coat of arms in which it appears was approved in 1920.
Canadian Forces Base Valcartier
Semper fidelis is the motto of CFB Valcartier. Canadian Forces Base Valcartier is located 25 km north of Quebec City. The base was originally erected as a military camp in August of 1914.
Swiss Grenadier Regiment
Semper fidelis is the motto of a Swiss Grenadier regiment formed in 1943. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation A grenadier (derived from the word Grenade) was originally a specialized soldier first established as a distinct role in the mid to late 17th century for the throwing of grenades There was no Grenadier Regiment in 1943. The Grenadiers only formed one company in each infantry regiment.
The Republic Of China (Taiwan) Marine Corps
Semper Fidelis (Chinese:永遠忠誠) is the motto of The Republic Of China (Taiwan) Marine Corps since 1947.
Hungarian Government Guard
Semper Fidelis is the official motto of the Hungarian Government Guard since 28 August 1998. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)
Military Institute of Engineering, Brazilian Army
Semper Fidelis is the motto of the 1st company of the Brazilian Military Institute of Engineering.
Serviciul de Protecţie şi Pază
The Romanian Protection and Guard Service, an organisation which is concerned about national security and personal security of officials in Romania. Serviciul de Protecţie şi Pază (Protection and Guard Service SPP is an institution of the Romanian state Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania
Submarine Force, Chilean Navy
Semper Fidelis is the motto of the Submarine Force of Chilean Navy.
Trivia
In December 1989, Marvel Comics released a monthly comic book called Semper Fi - Tales of the Marine Corps. This publication lasted for 9 issues.
R. Lee Ermey ended all of his shows of Mail Call on The History Channel by saying "Semper Fi, Carry On". Ronald Lee Ermey (born March 24 1944 is a former US Marine Corps Drill instructor and later Golden Globe -nominated Actor, often playing Mail Call is a documentary Television program appearing on The History Channel and hosted by R History, formerly known as The History Channel, is a Satellite and Cable TV channel, with shows on historical events and persons&mdashoften
The main character Leroy Jethro Gibbs of the TV series NCIS says "Semper Fi" in various episodes. Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a fictional Chief investigator from the NCIS television series by CBS Television, played by Mark Harmon NCIS, promoted as Navy NCIS in its first season aka Navy NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service or NCIS Naval Criminal
Notes
- ^ Semper Fidelis placed on the Marine Corps Emblem in 1883, see Marine Corps Seal History
References
- Grey, T. (2005). The Chronicle of Exeter. Exeter: The Mint Press. ISBN 1-903356-42-3
- Lethbridge, Tony (2005). Exeter: a history and guide (Stroud, Gloucestershire: Tempus Publishing), ISBN 0-7524-3515-9
External links
- Hardiman's history of the town of Galway
- Exeter City Council site giving supposed origin of Exeter's use of the motto. Stroud is a Town and Civil parish in the County of Gloucestershire, England.
- History of Exeter from White's Devonshire Directory of 1850
- Dutch Cadetscorps
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