Pro aris et focis is a Latin phrase used as the motto of many families, military regiments, and some educational institutions meaning "For God and country" or literally "For altars and hearths", but is used by ancient authors to express attachment to all that was most dear and venerable. It could be more idiomatically translated "for hearth and home;" as the Latin term "aris", generally refers to either the altars of the spirits of the house and is often used as a synecdoche for the family home. Thus the famous Latin orator and philosopher Cicero uses the phrase to emphasize the importance of his argument in his philosophical work De Natura Deorum (3.40).
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Family motto
Pro Aris et Focis is the motto of many families such as the Mulvihills of Ireland, the Waits of Scotland, a private members club in Australia, the United Service Club Queensland and of military regiments all over the world, such as the Middlesex Yeomanry of Britain, the Royal Queensland Regiment of Australia and the Victoria Rifles of Canada. And also in France, during French Revolution, Henri du Vergier, Marquis de La Rochejacquelein, General-in Chief of the Catholic and Royal Vendean Army, took this motto.
Secret society
Pro Aris et Focis is the name of a secret society in Brussels in 1789 which prepared the Brabant Revolution against the Austrian Emperor Joseph II. The leading figure was Jan-Baptist Verlooy.
Motto of institutions
"For God and country" is the motto of the American Legion.
Deo et Patriae is the motto of Regis High School (New York City), and Pro Deo et Patria is the motto of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C..
"Pro Aris et Focis is the motto for "Academia San Jorge," a Puerto Rico PK-12 school. The motto is embedded in the school's shield and logo. The school is located in Santurce, Puerto Rico.
Pro Aris et Focis is the motto for Maritzburg College, a high school in South Africa, and the motto is embedded in the school's shield.
Pro Aris et PRO Focis was the motto of the 71st New York State Volunteers, "The American Guard", which was formed not long before the Civil War and saw service in that War, and down to almost the present time. Its HQ was in the old Armory at 34th and Park Avenue in New York City. The building no longer stands, but plaque parts of its original structure have been incorporated into the walls of the skyscraper that presently occupies the site.
It one of the mottoes of Bristol University.
Death of Osama Bin Laden
In May 2011, the phrase "For God and country" was used as a confirmation signal by U.S. Navy SEALs during the death of Osama bin Laden in Abottabad, Pakistan. On his radio, the U.S. Navy SEAL responsible for killing bin Laden reported over a radio, “For God and country, Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo.” After a pause, he added, “Geronimo EKIA” (enemy killed in action).