Kochi: The central part of the seal of Archbishop Mar George Koovakkad is adorned with the main part of the Marthomas sleeve with its flowered edges. The five red gems embedded in the sleeve symbolically depict the five sacred wounds of the Messiah, who saved us through his suffering, death and resurrection. The dove, depicted with its wings spread against a red background, is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The color red represents the gifts of the Spirit, the true hero of the gospel, the leader of the earthly pilgrimage of the Church and the one who spreads the love of God throughout the world. The dove, the symbol of the Spirit, illuminates the lotus, the national flower of India. The lotus petals represent the colors of the Indian national flag: saffron, white, and green.

The motto Fragrantiam Christi Caritas Efundare (to spread the fragrance of Christ’s love) reflects the truth that just as the lotus flower emits a strong and sweet fragrance, we too are called to be a fragrance of Christ’s love in the world (2 Cor. 2:15). In The Message of Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi observed: "A rose needs no preaching, it spreads its fragrance. That fragrance is its own sermon. The eight-pointed golden star depicted on the blue background to the left of the lotus is a symbol of the Virgin Mary, the star of the sea and the mother of the Messiah and the Church.

And this star, borrowed from the seal of Pope Francis, also serves as a sign of respect for him. The seal is covered with a turban in the Syrian style of the Eastern bishops. The archbishop's seal has twenty green handkerchiefs, ten on each side.