"Flag of the Faroe Islands The flag of the Faroe Islands is an offset cross, representing Christianity. It is similar in design to other Nordic flags – a tradition set by the ""Dannebrog"" of Denmark, of which the Faroe Islands are an autonomous country. The flag is called Merkið, which means ""the banner"" or ""the mark"". It resembles the flags of neighbouring Norway and Iceland. The design of the flag incorporates a red Nordic cross, which is offset to the left. The red cross is fimbriated azure and is set on a white field. The flag design closely resembles that"
"The Greek flag is widely used by the Greek Cypriots, although Cyprus has officially adopted a neutral flag to ease ethnic tensions with the Turkish Cypriot minority (see flag of Cyprus). The pre-1978 (and first) flag of Greece, which features a Greek cross (""crux immissa quadrata"") on a blue background, is widely used as an alternative to the official flag, and they are often flown together. The national emblem of Greece features a blue escutcheon with a white cross surrounded by two laurel branches. A common design involves the current flag of Greece and the pre-1978 flag of Greece with"
"cross) flag. On 7 February 1828 the Greek flag was internationally recognised for the first time by receiving an official salutation from British, French, and Russian forces in Nafplio, then the capital of Greece. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Greece in 1832, the new king, Otto, added the royal Coat of Arms (a shield in his ancestral topped by a crown) in the centre of the cross for military flags (both land and sea versions). The decree dated 4 (16) April 1833 provided for various maritime flags such as the war flag or naval ensign (set at 18:25),"
"position and through their personal worth, have contributed to the promotion of Greece"". As all Greek orders, the Order of Honour has five classes: The ""badge"" of the order is a blue-enamelled cross, in silver for the Silver Cross class, in gold for the higher classes. The obverse central disc bears a portrait of the goddess Athena and the legend ""Ο ΑΓΑΘΟΣ ΜΟΝΟΣ ΤΙΜΗΤΕΟΣ"" (""Only the righteous should be honoured"") on a white enamel band. The reverse bears a simplified national emblem of Greece in the form of a white Greek cross on blue, and on a circular band the"
"National colours of Greece The national colours of Greece are blue and white. Blue and white are also the national colours of Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, were the ancient national colours of Portugal, and are the colours of the United Nations. Blue and white appear to have been historically used by Greeks for several centuries, and were used during revolts against the Ottomans prior to the 1821 revolution . In March 1821, the Greek War of Independence broke out, an effort by the Greeks to free themselves from the Ottoman rule by declaring independence. The struggle to"
"Coat of arms of Greece The coat of arms of Greece displays a white cross on a blue escutcheon, which is surrounded by two laurel branches. The constitution does not specify a tincture for the branches, implying ""proper"" (i.e. green). The Greek government normally uses a design in which the laurel branches are monochrome blue. A version with golden laurel leaves is displayed by the military and on the presidential standard. 17-year old Prince Otto of Bavaria, son of King Ludwig I, was selected as king for the newly established Greek monarchy under the terms of the London Conference of"
"depicted the goddess Athena and the owl. At the time of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Prime Minister of modern Greece, the phoenix, the symbol of rebirth, was added. Coat of arms of Greece The coat of arms of Greece displays a white cross on a blue escutcheon, which is surrounded by two laurel branches. The constitution does not specify a tincture for the branches, implying ""proper"" (i.e. green). The Greek government normally uses a design in which the laurel branches are monochrome blue. A version with golden laurel leaves is displayed by the military and on the presidential standard. 17-year"
"and 1985 crosses, but the national emblem has been moved to the center of the cross, in bronze, silver and gold versions for the 3rd, 2nd and 1st classes respectively. War Cross (Greece) The War Cross () is a military decoration of Greece, awarded for heroism in wartime to both Greeks and foreign allies. There have been three versions of the cross, the 1917 version covering World War I, the 1940 version covering the Second World War and the Greek Civil War, and the 1974 version covering peacekeeping missions in the subsequent years. The first version was established by the"
"silver, red enameled Greek cross, similar to that of the Order of the Cross of Independence and the Cross of Independence of 1930. It is inscribed ""WOLNOŚĆ I SOLIDARNOŚĆ"" (""freedom and solidarity"") across the horizontal arms. In the center of the cross carved stylized image of the White Eagle. The reverse side of the cross is smooth. The cross is 42 mm in diameter. The Cross of Freedom and Solidarity is suspended from a white ribbon, 38 mm wide. Symmetrically arranged along the edges of the ribbon are gold and crimson stripes each 3 mm wide. Cross of Freedom and"
"other places. In order to avoid this confusion the protected symbol is sometimes referred to as the ""Greek Red Cross"" (now Hellenic Red Cross); that term is also used in United States law to describe the Red Cross. The red cross of the Saint George cross extends to the edge of the flag, whereas the red cross on the Red Cross flag does not. The Red Cross flag is the colour-switched version of the Flag of Switzerland. In 1906, to put an end to the argument of the Ottoman Empire that the flag took its roots from Christianity, it was"
"other designs surviving until that time. No other designs and badges can be shown on the flag. To date, no specification of the exact shade of the blue colour of the flag has been issued. Consequently, in practice hues may vary from very light to very dark. The Greek Flag Day is on 27 October. The old land flag is still flown at the Old Parliament building in Athens, site of the National Historical Museum, and can still be seen displayed unofficially by private citizens. The use of the Greek flag is regulated by Law 851. More specifically, the law"
"is 2:3. The shade of blue used in the flag has varied throughout its history, from light blue to dark blue, the latter being increasingly used since the late 1960s. It was officially adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus on 13 January 1822. According to popular tradition, the nine stripes represent the nine syllables of the phrase ""Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος"" (""Freedom or Death""), the five blue stripes for the syllables ""Ελευθερία"" and the four white stripes ""ή Θάνατος"". The nine stripes are also said to represent the letters of the word ""freedom"" (Greek: ελευθερία). There is also a"
"different theory, that the nine stripes symbolise the nine Muses, the goddesses of art and civilisation (nine has traditionally been one of the numbers of reference for the Greeks). Blue and white have been interpreted as symbolising the colours of the famed Greek sky and sea. The origins of today's national flag with its cross-and-stripe pattern are a matter of debate. Every part of it, including the blue and white colors, the cross, as well as the stripe arrangement can be connected to very old historical elements; however, it is difficult to establish ""continuity"", especially as there is no record"
"from the earlier 1913 version. Repeat awards were designated with 5-millimeter miniature silver crowns, although a maximum of three was allowed to be worn on the ribbon. The 1974 version was not finalized until the early 2000s, when a change in design was decided: the crown was replaced by the national emblem of Greece, and the image of St. Demetrios by that of the Virgin Mary. Cross of Valour (Greece) The Cross of Valour (, ""Aristeion Andreias"", lit. ""Gallantry/Bravery Award"") is the second highest (and until 1974 the highest) military decoration of the Greek state, awarded for acts of bravery"
"the local bishop. Prior and during the early days of the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829), a large variety of flags was designed, proposed and used by various Greek intellectuals in Western Europe, local leaders, chieftains and regional councils. Aside from the cross, many of these flags featured saints, the phoenix (symbolising the rebirth of the Greek nation), mottoes such as ""Freedom or Death"" (Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος) or the fasces-like emblems of the ""Philiki Etaireia"", the secret society that organised the uprising. Because the European monarchies, allied in the so-called ""Concert of Europe"", were suspicious towards national or social revolutionary"
"government bodies, apart from the Ministerial Council, are the Committee on Institutions, the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence and others, including particular government policy issues. The flag of Greece consists of nine horizontal, alternating blue and white stripes, with a white cross on a blue field in the upper left. The number of stripes represents the number of syllables for the phrase ""Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος"", meaning ""Freedom or Death"". Government of Greece Government of Greece (officially: Government of the Hellenic Republic; also Greek Government or Hellenic Government) is the government of the Third Hellenic Republic, reformed to its"
"of Valour both have ribbons in the national colours. An official report from the 1896 Summer Olympics stated that pigeons adorned with ribbons in the national colours were released from Panathenaic Stadium after Spyridon Louis, winner of the marathon, was introduced to accept his medal and a trophy. National colours of Greece The national colours of Greece are blue and white. Blue and white are also the national colours of Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, were the ancient national colours of Portugal, and are the colours of the United Nations. Blue and white appear to have been historically"
"The Order has five classes: The badge of the Order is a white-enameled cross, in silver for the Silver Cross class, in gold for the higher classes, with the Phoenix (symbolizing the rebirth of the Hellenic nation) at the centre. A five-pointed star is at the upper arm of the cross. The first version of the Order (1926–1935) featured the letters ""E-T-T-A"" in Byzantine uncial on each arm of the cross, the initials of the motto ""Εκ της τέφρας μου αναγεννώμαι"" (""From my ashes I am reborn""). During the Monarchy (1935–1974) the letters were removed and the badge was topped"
"states that: The government has not specified exactly ""which"" shade of blue should be used for the flag, and as such flags with many varying shades exist. In the most recent legislation regarding the national flag, the colours mentioned are: Because of the use of the word 'cyan' (, """"), which can also mean 'blue' in Greek, the exact shade of blue remains ambiguous. Although it implies the use of a light shade of blue, such as on the flag of the United Nations, the colours of the Greek flag tend to be darker, especially during the dictatorship and in"
"War Cross (Greece) The War Cross () is a military decoration of Greece, awarded for heroism in wartime to both Greeks and foreign allies. There have been three versions of the cross, the 1917 version covering World War I, the 1940 version covering the Second World War and the Greek Civil War, and the 1974 version covering peacekeeping missions in the subsequent years. The first version was established by the Venizelist ""National Defence"" Government on 28 February 1917, and confirmed by Royal Decree on 31 October, shortly after the entry of the whole of Greece in the First World War."
"flotilla of naval vessels. For three days the coffin of the King, draped in the Danish and Greek flags, lay in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Athens before his body was committed to a tomb at his palace in Tatoi. The distinctive Greek flag of blue and white cross was first hoisted during the Greek War of Independence in March 1822. This was later modified so that the shade of blue matched that of the Bavarian coat of arms of the first King of Greece, Otto. The shield is emblazoned with the coat of arms of the Danish Royal Family, and"
"patron saint of Scotland, represented by the saltire of Saint Andrew."" In addition, the Flag of Greece, as well as the Flag of Switzerland, contain a Christian cross to represent the faith. The ""cross on the flag of Dominica represents Christianity while the three colours of which the cross consists stand for the Trinity"" and the ""coat of arms depicted on the Flag of Slovakia shows a double cross"". The Flag of the Dominican Republic also depicts a Bible and a cross. The Flag of Georgia, Flag of Tonga, Flag of Moldova and Flag of Serbia all display a cross"
"ΤΑΝ Η ΕΠΙ ΤΑΣ"" (""[return home] either with your shield, or upon it"") underneath. The reverse bears the inscription ""ΕΛΛΑΣ"" (""Greece"") and underneath the dates ""1916–1917"". The ribbon was black, edged with blue, and 35–37 mm wide. The cross was awarded in three classes, distinguished by the devices born on the ribbon: the 3rd class being plain, the 2nd class bearing a bronze five-pointed star, and the 1st class a bronze palm leaf. Subsequent awards were designated by the addition of silver five-pointed stars on the ribbon. The Venizelist associations of the 1917 cross meant that, when Greece found itself"
"the map and the colours used. The government announced in October 2005, that it would take steps to ""start from scratch"" and assure that only flags complying with the official specifications would be produced. Under the terms of the publicly-rejected referendum Annan Plan for Cyprus, a United Nations proposal to settle the Cyprus dispute, a new national flag would have been adopted by a reconstituted confederal republic of Cyprus. Unlike the current official flag, this version consciously incorporates colours representing Greece (blue) and Turkey (red) alongside a large copper-yellow band for Cyprus; the heraldic blazon is ""per fess Azure and"
"legend ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ (""Hellenic Republic"") and the year of the order's founding (1975). The Silver and Gold Crosses have a diameter of 37 mm, while the senior grades have a diameter of 57 mm. The law also provides for the award of the Order with Swords (featuring a pair of crossed swords behind the cross), in recognition of wartime deeds. however, no such awards have been made. The ""star"" of the order is a silver eight-pointed star with straight rays, with the entire badge in the centre. The reverse bears the Greek national emblem in white enamel and the legend"
"emblem shows the silhouettes of Greece and Cyprus crowned with a common laurel wreath. Between the two countries is the emblem of the Greek Army. Under the wreath is written ""ΕΛΔΥΚ 1960"", which is the abbreviation of the force in Greek (""ΕΛΔΥΚ"") and the year it disembarked at Cyprus (""1960""). At the top is written the motto of ELDYK: ""ΤΟ ΟΜΑΙΜΟΝ ΤΕ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΓΛΩΣΣΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΘΡΗΣΚΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΤΡΟΠΟΝ"". The two blue tints on the emblem represents the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea, symbolizing the same sea and sky surrounds these two countries. The motto of"
"Units and institutions of the Finnish Defence Force which have not been awarded a colour of their own use the unadorned swallow-tailed Flag of Finland as their State Colour, and the oath of service for NCOs and volunteer enlisted personnel assigned to these are given in its presence. In January 1188, in a meeting between Henry II of England and Philip II of France, it was agreed that both would go on a crusade, and that Henry II would use a white cross and Philip II would use a red cross. Later on, this usage was inverted, and the English"
"today. Encircling the cross is a band bearing the inscription, ""The Truth shall make you free."" (John 8:32) It is written in the original New Testament Greek, the traditional language of scholarship within the Anglican Communion. From the band radiate the points of the compass. The compass symbolizes the worldwide spread of the Anglican Faith. Surmounting the shield, at the North, is a mitre, the symbol of apostolic order essential to all Churches and Provinces constituting the Anglican Communion. The design was adapted with the colors of blue and gold and made into a flag by Canadian-born priest, Father Andrew"
"that did not change neither in the early 2000s, when the Athens Olympic Stadium was almost abandoned. Since 2004 and the use mainly of the Karaiskakis Stadium, very few of Greece's matches have occasionally been played in other stadiums as well. They returned to Athens and OAKA in 2018 for a friendly against Switzerland and announced they will play their home matches for the new UEFA Nations League there, as well, after 13 years in Piraeus. Greece's traditional colours are blue and white, originating from the colours of the Greek flag. Although blue was used for home kit since the"
"and Turkey were used. The current flag was created as the result of a design competition in 1960. Under the constitution, the flag should not include either blue or red colours (the colours of the flag of Greece and the flag of Turkey), nor portray a cross or a crescent. All participants deliberately avoided use of these four elements in an attempt to make the flag ""neutral"". The winning design was based on a proposal by İsmet Güney, a Turkish Cypriot art teacher. The design was chosen by Makarios III, the first President of the Republic, with the consent of"
"twos, crossed behind his coat of arms. With the establishment of the Second Hellenic Republic in 1924, the king's flag was made redundant. In 1930, a presidential decree described the president's flag as being a square version of the usual cross flag, devoid of any distinguishing markings. On 10 October 1935, Georgios Kondylis declared that the monarchy had been restored and the 3 June 1914 decree was restored by decree of 7 November 1935. This flag, and the flags of other members of the royal family, was replaced the following year with new designs. Unlike previous designs, all flags now"
"a red background, referring to the Hellenism of the union and its Ionian roots. A similar crest has Panionios of Kalamata. Tsakiris reinstated the classic emblem of the club, the emblem that the club now uses, a shield with the colours of the group (cyan and red), used by the Greeks of the Ottoman Empire in a variety of events (for example the Hellenic-Ethos naval flag). Panionios' colours are blue, red and white, mainly used as trim or as an alternative. However, after the destruction of Smyrna the colours for some took a different interpretation. The red is the blood"
"Flag of Egypt The flag of Egypt (, ) is a tricolour consisting of the three equal horizontal red, white, and black bands of the Egyptian revolutionary flag dating back to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution. The flag bears Egypt's national emblem, the Egyptian eagle of Saladin centered in the white band. The Egyptian Free Officers who toppled King Farouk in the Revolution of 1952 assigned specific symbolism to each of the three bands of the revolutionary and liberation flag. The red band symbolizes the Egyptians’ blood in the war against colonization. The white band symbolizes the purity of the Egyptian’s"