The National Flag of Russia

The National Flag of Russia is more than 300 years old. The Russian Emperor Tsar Peter the Great originally designed the flag for his fleet of ships. By the Royal Decree this flag officially became the National Flag of all Russia on January, 20, 1705.

The flag had 3 horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. At that time these colours meant the following: white — the divine world, blue — the skies, red — the material world.

Some years later this flag became the symbol of the three Slavic nations union: Russia, Byelorussia and Ukraine. It symbolized the title of the Russian Empire's Tsar who was named «Царь Всея Великия и Белыя и Малыя России». Every colour got its own meaning: red meant courage and love, blue — honour and loyalty, white — nobility and sincerity.

The white-blue-red flag lived not very long. In the XVIII century the national flag changed its appearance. According to the Russian Senate's Order the colours of the flag's stripes were changed into black, yellow and white. This fact was explained by the German orientation of the Court's ministers.

However, in May 1883 the Russian Tsar Alexander III returned the colours of the former flag and the white-blue-red Flag of Russia was adopted once more.

In October 1917 the state flag of our country changed again. This time it had one golden five-point star, a hammer and a sickle on the red field, symbolizing the revolution and new state: the union of its workers and peasants. But this flag represented the whole country called the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Russia almost lost both its own national flag and its essence.

After establishing the Commonwealth of the Independent States, the flags of many union republics restored their original meaning. Russia was no exception. It came back to its roots. Under the law of the Russian Federation the National Flag of our country was adopted anew on the 25-th of December, 2000.

Nowadays the National Flag of the Russian Federation has three horizontal white, blue and red stripes. They symbolize the revival of the Russian sovereignty. The flag stripes are equal in size. There are no any other signs of classes or parties on the flag. This means that all nations and nationalities forming the Russian Federation arc equal. The flag's colours have got their deep meaning: white symbolizes now greatness, nobility and freedom, blue — honour and the colour of the Mother of God — Patroness of our land, red — generosity, courage and blood "shed for Faith and Fatherland".

At present our flag is known as the Tricolour or the Imperial Flag. The Day of the Russian Federation's National Flag is celebrated on the 22-nd of August.

Знаете ли вы?

1. Обязательным элементом государственных флагов мно­гих скандинавских стран (Дании, Исландии, Норвегии, Швей­царии, Швеции и Финляндии) является прямой крест, сим­вол христианства и культурной связи с Данией, первой стра­ной в этом регионе, которая приняла государственный флаг.

2. На флагах всех стран Океании присутствует созвездие «Южный Крест», поскольку эти страны расположены в Юж­ном полушарии.

3. Многие народы Восточной Европы воспринимали Рос­сию как культурную родину всех славян. Поэтому они выбра­ли бeло-сине-красные цвета для своих государственных фла­гов, подчеркивая тем самым священный союз всех славян.

4. Самым популярным цветом государственных флагов мно­гих стран мира является красный (74%). За ним следуют бе­лый (71%) и синий (50%).

Дата добавления: 2014-12-29