St. Andrew's flag became the official symbol of the Russian fleet since 1698, from the moment of its introduction. Today, sailors note that its four corners are symbols of the four seas on which the Russian fleet has dominated and is present - the Black, White, Caspian and Azov Sea. The oblique cross symbolizes the crucifixion of St. Andrew the First-Called, a saint who patronizes seafarers. Before Peter the Great introduced this flag, the fleet did not have special distinctive banners. However, why was such a symbolism chosen for him?

St. Andrew's flag can cause a lot of questions, however, having examined the history of its appearance, you can easily answer most of them.

Description of St. Andrew's flag

St. Andrew's flag is named after the Apostle Andrew, brother of Peter. Both saints patronize seafarers, since they were originally simple fishermen. The flag looks like a white cloth with blue stripes - there are two of them, they form an inclined cross, symbolizing the one on which Andrei was crucified. The blue bar is 1 10 of the total length of the flag, but the panel itself has an edge ratio of 1 1.5.

Today, this symbol appears on the flags of Alabama, Scotland, Jamaica, Tenerife and several other countries, where it has its own performance features. In Russia it is used within the framework of naval traditions.

Who is the Apostle Andrew?

Andrew is the first of the disciples and followers called by Jesus, and therefore in Christianity he is called the First-Called. It is believed that he personally visited Russia, and therefore is its patron. He traveled a lot, was persecuted, preached, worked miracles of faith, and then he accepted the fate of a martyr in the city of Patras. The saint voluntarily shared the fate of the Savior, confirming his desire to die on the cross, even after they wanted to release him. He chose a slanting cross, because he considered himself unworthy to follow the same fate as Jesus himself. This cross, to which he was attached, and became his symbol.

Where did the St. Andrew flag first be raised?

St. Andrew's flag appeared in the British and Scottish unions in 1606-1707, and from 1707 to 1801 - already in the Union of Great Britain. The flag with a slanting cross appeared on the flag of Scotland for the first time, this is due to the legend of King Angus the Second. It is believed that in 832, when this leader was at the head of the Scottish and Pictish army, which was supposed to fight the Angles, he prayed, vowed to declare Andrew the patron of Scotland, if he was granted victory.

In the morning, after a night of prayer, I discovered that the clouds in the sky stood with an oblique cross, which was transferred to the canvas after the victory, despite the superiority of forces on the side of the enemy. However, the first documented appearance of the St. Andrew's cross in official sources dates from 1286, this is the seal of the Scotland Guard. In 1503, the flag itself with the cross first appeared for the first time, and later on it appeared quite often.

St. Andrew's flag in Russia

In Russia, this flag was established by Peter I in 1689, simultaneously with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. In practice, it began to be used from the same year and lasted until the memorable revolution of 1917, being present at the stern and on the guis. Then, in 1918, it was decided to replace it with state flags, after which a new version of the St. Andrew's flag was developed, which for many decades became the symbol of the Soviet Navy. Politics and worldviews of those times did not allow any mention of religion, and the old symbols characteristic of the previous period of tsarist power were also actively eradicated. The white background remained, as did one blue stripe that ran horizontally from the bottom of the panel. In the center is a star and a sickle with a hammer, symbols of a new era of the country.

In 1992, it was decided to return the old symbol, and the blue and white flag of St. Andrew again came to the ships, because the Soviet legacy turned out to be irrelevant. And in 2001, the stripes on it turned blue. In this form, it is used today. And as before, Russian naval commanders tell their subordinates before performing important tasks or a battle, parting of the sailors: “God is with us and the St. Andrew’s flag”. This tradition is especially firmly rooted in the navy, where it is customary to handle these words before a fight or a difficult task.

Today, the St. Andrew’s flag remains one of the main symbols of the Russian fleet, sailors are extremely kind to it as a centuries-old heritage.The flag image can be seen not only on the ships, it appears on the chevrons and the mass of other identification elements. There is no intention to change this symbol in the future, because sailors respect and protect their traditions, and this flag is recognized at first glance in the seas and oceans of the whole world.