Jump to content

List of flags with Christian symbolism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list exclusively includes the official flags of administrative bodies or territorial jurisdictions, representing current or former territories, states, counties, and provinces.

List

[edit]
Flag Entity Dates used Religious characteristics
Alabama Alabama 1895–present A crimson cross of St. Andrew[1]
Åland Åland 1954–present Nordic Cross Flag
Alberta Alberta 1968–present Saint George's Cross
Andorra Andorra 1866–present Includes a bishop's mitre, representing the Bishop of Urgell[2]
Armenia Armenia 1990–present The color red emblematizes the maintenance of the Christian faith[3]
Asturias Asturias 1990–present Alpha and Omega and the Victory Cross[4]
Australia Australia 1903–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick[5]
Bermuda Bermuda 1999–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
British Ceylon British Ceylon 1875–1948 Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
British Columbia British Columbia 1960–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
British Honduras British Honduras 1919–1981 Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
British Hong Kong British Hong Kong 1871–1997 Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
British Indian Ocean Territory British Indian Ocean Territory 1990–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
British Weihaiwei British Weihaiwei 1903–1930 Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Calabria Calabria 1992–present Teutonic and Byzantine crosses
City of London City of London 1381–present Saint George's Cross
Colonial Nigeria Colonial Nigera 1954–1960 Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Cook Islands Cook Islands 1979–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Denmark Denmark 1219–present Nordic Cross Flag[6]
Dominica Dominica 1978–present The cross represents the Trinity[7]
Dominican Republic Dominican Republic 1863–present A Bible, a cross and the color white stands for salvation[8]
East Africa Protectorate East Africa Protectorate 1895–1921 Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
El Salvador El Salvador 1912–present Dios, Unión, Libertad (God, Union, Liberty)[9]
England England –present Saint George's Cross
Falkland Islands Falkland Islands 1999–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Faroe Islands Faroe Islands 1940–present Nordic Cross Flag
Fiji Fiji 1970–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, St. Patrick and a dove
Finland Finland 1918–present Nordic Cross Flag[6]
Florida Florida 1900–present St. Andrews cross and Motto (In God We Trust)[10]
Galicia (Spain) Galicia 1984–present A chalice joined to a silver host[11]
Georgia (country) Georgia 2004–present Jerusalem cross
Greece Greece 1978–present Greek cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy
Guernsey Guernsey 1985–present Saint George's Cross, Norman cross
Hawaii Hawaii 1845–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Iceland Iceland 1944–present Nordic Cross Flag[6]
Republic of Ireland Ireland 1922–present The green signifies the Catholic majority. The orange signifies the Protestant minority[12]
Ingria Ingria 1919–present Nordic Cross Flag[13]
Italy Kingdom of Italy 1861–1946 Christian cross
Jersey Jersey 1981–present Saltire
Kingdom of Jerusalem Kingdom of Jerusalem 1162–1291 Jerusalem cross[14]
Liechtenstein Liechtenstein 1982–present Christian cross[15]
Liguria Liguria 1997–present Saint George's Cross
Malta Malta 1964–present George Cross
Manitoba Manitoba 1965–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Mississippi Mississippi 2021–present Motto (In God We Trust)
Moldova Moldova 1990–present Orthodox Cross
Montenegro Montenegro 2004–present Orthodox Cross.[15]
Montserrat Montserrat 1960–present Irish figure Erin holding a Christian cross
Moscow Oblast Moscow Oblast –present Orthodox Cross
New South Wales New South Wales 1876–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
New Zealand New Zealand 1902–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick[15]
Niue Niue 1902–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Norway Norway 1821–present Nordic Cross Flag[6]
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia 1929–present Saint Andrew's Cross[16]
Ontario Ontario 1965–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Orenburg Oblast Orenburg Oblast 1996–present Orthodox Cross[17]
Orkney Orkney 2007–present Nordic Cross Flag
Pärnu Pärnu 1934–present Nordic Cross Flag[18]
Piedmont Piedmont 1995–present Christian cross
Portugal Portugal 1911–present Compound cross of five quinas, each one charged with five saltire-arranged bezants, representing the five wounds of Christ
Quebec Quebec 1948–present Christian cross, fleurs-de-lys stand for the Virgin Mary[19]
Queensland Queensland 1876–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick, Maltese cross
Saint Helena Saint Helena 1984–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
San Marino San Marino 2011–present Christian cross[15]
Sardinia Sardinia 1999–present Saint George's Cross
Scania Scania 1902–present Nordic Cross Flag[20]
Scotland Scotland 1542–present Saint Andrew's Cross
Serbia Serbia 2004–present Serbian cross symbolizes Serbian Orthodoxy[21]
Shetland Shetland 2005–present Nordic Cross Flag
Slovakia Slovakia 1992–present Patriarchal cross[22]
South Australia South Australia 1904–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Spain Spain 1981–present Christian cross[15]
Sweden Sweden 1906–present Nordic Cross Flag[6]
Switzerland Switzerland 1841–present Greek cross[23]
Tasmania Tasmania 1876–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Tonga Tonga 1875–present The red field symbolizes the Blood of Christ, while the white canton symbolizes the purity of Jesus and contains a Greek cross, representing Christianity itself.[24][25][26]
Tristan da Cunha Tristan da Cunha 2002–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, St. Patrick and motto (Our faith is our strength)
Tuvalu Tuvalu 1997–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Protectorate of Uganda Uganda Protectorate 1914–1962 Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
United Kingdom United Kingdom 1707–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick[27]
Vatican City Vatican City 1929–present Crossed keys of Saint Peter and the Papal Tiara centered in the white band[28]
Victoria (state) Victoria 1877–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Western Australia Western Australia 1953–present Crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick
Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington 1963–present Nordic Cross Flag[29]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Alabama (U.S.)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 2023-12-18. The state flag was to be a crimson cross of St. Andrew on a field of white.
  2. ^ Zartman, Rubin (2002). Power and Negotiation. University of Michigan Press. p. 111. ISBN 0472089072.
  3. ^ "General Information on the government of Armenia's website". gov.am. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  4. ^ "Asturias (Spain)". CRW Flags. 2015-10-31. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  5. ^ Foley, Carol A. (1996). The Australian flag : colonial relic or contemporary icon?. Sydney: Federation Press. p. 18. ISBN 9781862871885.
  6. ^ a b c d e Temperman, Jeroen (2010). State Religion Relationships and Human Rights Law. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. ISBN 978-9004181489. Many predominantly Christian states show a cross, symbolising Christianity, on their national flag. Scandinavian crosses or Nordic crosses on the flags of the Nordic countries–Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden–also represent Christianity.
  7. ^ "Flag Description: Dominica". World Factbook. CIA. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  8. ^ "Flag Description: Dominican Republic". World Factbook. CIA. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  9. ^ "Description of the Flag of El Salvador". fotw.info. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  10. ^ "State Flag". dos.fl.gov. Florida Department of State. Retrieved 2023-12-18. The current design of Florida's state flag was adopted in 1900. In that year, Florida voters ratified a constitutional amendment based on an 1899 joint resolution of the state legislature to add diagonal red bars, in the form of a St. Andrew's cross, to the flag.
  11. ^ "Galicia (Spain)". CRW Flags. 2018-09-02. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  12. ^ Talocci, Mauro (1982). Guide to the Flags of the World. Morrow. p. 271. ISBN 0688011411.
  13. ^ "Ingrian flag". heninen.net. Retrieved 2024-01-12. It is a Nordic cross flag with a yellow background and a red scandinavian cross with an inserted narrow blue cross.
  14. ^ "Kingdom of Jerusalem 1099–1291". Flags of the World. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  15. ^ a b c d e "64 countries have religious symbols on their national flags". Pew Research. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 2014-12-25.
  16. ^ Smith, Whitney. "Flag of Nova Scotia". brittanica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  17. ^ "Coat of arms of the Orenburg region". Президентская библиотека имени Б.Н. Ельцина. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  18. ^ "Symbols of Pärnu". parnu.ee. Retrieved 2023-12-29. The flag of Pärnu is blue, with a white cross.
  19. ^ Smith, Whitney (January 26, 2001). "Flag of Quebec". Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  20. ^ "Historien om Skånelands flagga". skanskaakademien.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  21. ^ Temperman, Jeroen (2010). State-Religion Relationships and Human Rights Law: Towards a Right to Religiously Neutral Governance. Brill Academic. p. 88. ISBN 9789004181489. The cross on the flag of Dominica represents Christianity while the three colours of which the cross consists stand for the Trinity. The coat of arms depicted on the flag of Slovakia shows a double cross. The flag of the Dominican Republic represents Christianity while the three colours of which the cross consists stand for the Tinity. The coat of arms depicted on the flag of Slovakia shows a double cross. The flag of the Dominican Republic shows the words "God, Fatherland, Liberty", an opened bible and a cross (depicted in the coat of arms which is represented in the centre). The 'five-cross-flag' of George shows four small crosses and a large St. George's Cross, referring to the patron saint of Georgia (the national flag of England shows the St. George's Cross as well). The white cross on the flag of Greece symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy. The flag of Moldova shows its coat of arms in the centre: an eagle with a Christian Orthodox cross in its beak. The coat of arms of Serbia, as depicted on the national flag, also shows an Orthodox cross.
  22. ^ "O štátnej vlajke, štátnej zástave, štátnom znaku a štátnej pečati". Joint Czech–Slovak Digital Parliamentary Library. June 1939. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  23. ^ Foley, Carol A. (1 January 1996). The Australian Flag. Federation Press. p. 10. ISBN 9781862871885. The Christian cross, for instance, is one of the oldest and most widely used symbols in the world, and many European countries, such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greece and Switzerland, adopted and currently retain the Christian cross on their national flags.
  24. ^ Kindersley Ltd., Dorling (6 January 2009). Complete Flags of the World. Penguin. p. 235. ISBN 9780756654863. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  25. ^ "Tonga". The World Factbook. CIA. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  26. ^ Smith, Whitney (24 November 2013). "Flag of Tonga". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 9 August 2014. (subscription required)
  27. ^ "Union Jack". The Royal Household. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  28. ^ "State of Vatican City: Flag, Coat of Arms and Seal". vatican.va. 2013-06-09. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  29. ^ Purcell, John (2003). American City Flags. Vol. 9–10. Archived from the original on 2019-07-08.