Flag of Vatican City: Difference between revisions

Vatican City State
	Flag of Vatican City, version since 2023
Use	National flag
Adopted	7 June 1929; 95 years ago
Design	A vertical bicolour of yellow and white, charged with the coat of arms centred on the white portion

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 10:43, 22 December 2024

The national flag of Vatican City was adopted in 1929, the year Pope Pius XI signed the Lateran Treaty with Italy, creating the new independent state of Vatican City.

The flag is a vertical bicolour of yellow and white, with the white half charged with the coat of arms of Vatican City (a papal tiara and the crossed keys of Saint Peter). It was modeled after the 1808 flag of the Papal States, a yellow-and-white bicolour defaced with the tiara and keys in the centre. It is one of only two national flags that use a 1:1 aspect ratio, along with the flag of Switzerland.^[1]

The flag of Vatican City is also referred as the flag of the Holy See.^[2] The Holy See, which governs Vatican City, has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the worldwide Catholic Church. As a result, the flag is also a symbol of Catholic faith or identity, and is sometimes displayed at Catholic churches.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Description

The 2023 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State states: "The flag of the Vatican City State is made up of two vertically divided sides, one yellow adhering to the hoist and the other white, and in the latter carries the tiara with the keys, all according to the model on Annex A of this Law".^[7]

Regulations

Current regulations

The flag is described in Article 23 of the 2023 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, with a visual model appended as Attachment A.^[7]

Previous regulations

The flag is described in Article 19 of the 1929 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, with a visual model appended as Attachment A.^[8]

The flag is also described in Article 20 of the 2000 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, with a visual model appended as Attachment A.^[9]^[10] The 2000 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State's Attachment A, shows a square flag.^[10]

In 2010, the Apostolic Nunciature to Germany stated that the flag does not have to be square.^[11]

History

Before 1808, the Papal States commonly used a bicolor, yellow-red flag, which was derived from the colours of the Holy See's coat of arms, as well as being the two traditional colours of the Senate and the Roman people.^[12]^[13] In 1798, Napoleon established the Roman Republic, which introduced a black, white, and red flag; after the Papal rule was restored, Pope Pius VII restored the Papal cockade, which was described as red and yellow.^[14]

In 1808, Pope Pius VII ordered the Vatican's Noble Guard and other troops to replace red color with white, in order to distinguish them from the troops that had been incorporated into Napoleon's army.^[15]

In 1803, the Papal States started using a white merchant flag with the Papal coat of arms in the centre. This flag was made official on 7 June 1815. On 17 September 1825, it was replaced with a yellow and white flag which took its colours from the materials of the two keys (yellow for gold, white for silver). These colors were probably taken from the 1808 flag of the Palatine guard.^[16] This was the first bicolour used by the Papal States and the ancestor of the modern flag of Vatican City.^[17] The merchant flag also served as a state flag on land.^[16]

Starting in 1831, the papal infantry flew square yellow and white flags. At first, they were diagonally divided, but after 1849 they were vertically divided like the merchant flag. The last infantry colour, adopted in 1862, was a plain square white and yellow flag.^[17]

On 8 February 1849, while Pope Pius IX was in exile in Gaeta, a Roman Republic was declared. The new government's flag was the Italian tricolor with the motto "Dio e Popolo" on the central stripe. The papal government and its flags were restored on 2 July 1849. On 20 September 1870, the Papal States were conquered by Italy.

After the Lateran Treaty was signed in 1929, papal authorities decided to use the 1825–1870 merchant flag as the state flag of the soon to be independent Vatican City state.^[18] The treaty came into effect on 7 June 1929.

Previous versions

Flag of the Papal States until 1808
Flag of the Papal States between 1803 and 1825
Flag of the Papal States in periods 1825-1849 and 1849-1870
Flag of the Papal States used between 1862 and 1870
Flag of the Papal States that flew over Porta Pia during the fall of Rome in 1870
Flag of Vatican City from 1929 to 2001 as depicted in the 1929 Fundamental Law of the Vatican City State
Flag of Vatican City from 1929 to 2001
Flag of Vatican City from 2001 to 2023

Raising of the flag at the United Nations

Since September 2015, the United Nations headquarters has begun displaying the flags of UN observer states alongside the 193 member state flags. On September 25, 2015, the flag of the Holy See was raised for the first time at the UN headquarters.^[19]^[20]

Incorrect version

Image of the incorrect version from 2017 to 2022.

Incorrect flag with the lining of the tiara colored red, in use at the Apostolic Nunciature to Germany in Berlin

An incorrect version of the flag has been commonly used. In this version, the visible inner lining of the papal tiara is colored red instead of white, and a different shade of yellow or gold is used in some portions of the coat of arms. This version is due to a depiction of the Vatican flag used on Wikimedia Commons between 2006 and 2007 and between 2017 and 2022, and has since become widespread on the Internet.^[21]

Controversies

During Pope Francis's 2018 visit to Ireland, the South Dublin County Council refused to fly the Vatican flag; a local petrol station began to fly the flag in response.^[22]^[23]

A Police Scotland list of flags which could be a criminal offence to display "in a threatening manner" included the Vatican flag; sectarianism is common in Scotland, especially in Glasgow, and the Vatican flag could supposedly be flown as a sign of Catholic identity to intimidate Protestant neighbours.^[24]^[25]^[26]

References

^ "Flag of the Vatican City". flaginstitute.org. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
^ "United Nations to Raise Holy See Flag on September 25". En.radiovaticana.va. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
^ CNA. "Wikipedia had the wrong Vatican City flag for years. Now incorrect flags are everywhere". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
^ CNA. "American flag in the sanctuary". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
^ "The Vatican Flag". St. Cletus Catholic Church. 13 January 2023.
^ "The Flag of Vatican City". mnflag.tripod.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22. Roman Catholics throughout the world often use the Vatican flag to express Catholic identity at churches, educational institutions, and other establishments.
^ ^a ^b "Legge Fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano (13 maggio 2023) | Francesco". www.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
^ "[two sections]" (PDF). Acta Apostolicae Sedis. Supplemento per le leggi e disposizioni dello stato della città del Vaticano: 5, 35. 1929 – via Vaticanstate.va.
^ "Legge fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano – 26 novembre 2000". www.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
^ ^a ^b "STATE OF VATICAN CITY, Flag, Coat of Arms and Seal". Holy See Press Office. 2013-09-06. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
^ "letter from the German nunciature (2010-05-27)" (PDF) (in German). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
^ "Storia della Bandiera dello Stato della Città del Vaticano". vatican.va (in Italian). 31 December 2000. Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808.
^ Helssen, Tim (15 October 2023). "Vatikanexperte erläutert die Papstfarben Gelb und Weiß: Der Schlüssel zur Farbgebung". Domradio (in German). Rom, aber auch die Päpste hatten oft goldene Darstellungen auf rotem Grund in ihren Wappenfahnen. Daher entstand im Herrschaftsgebiet des Papstes so eine Kokarde in den Farben Gelb und Rot.
^ Becker, William M. (2018). "1: Toward the Modern Papal Colors (1800–1825)". Vatican Flags: Keys and Crowns Since 1800. North American Vexillological Association. p. 22. ISBN 978-0974772875.
^ "Bandiera pontificia" (in Italian). Stato della cità del Vaticano. Archived from the original on 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2008-07-09. Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808, allorché Pio VII
^ ^a ^b Breschi, Roberto. "Stato Pontifico" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
^ ^a ^b Becker, Rev. William M. "Flag of Vatican City". Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
^ Becker, Rev. William M. (Jan–Mar 2012). "The Vatican Flag: Proportions & Alternatives" (PDF). NAVA News. Trenton, New Jersey: North American Vexillological Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
^ Nations, United. "UN at a glance". United Nations. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
^ "Flags of Holy See, Palestine Fly at UN Headquarters". UN.org. 2015-10-01. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30.
^ McKeown, Jonah (8 April 2023). "Wikipedia had the wrong Vatican City flag for years. Now incorrect flags are everywhere". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 2023-04-11. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
^ Neylon, Laoise (21 July 2018). "Flagging support for Vatican". Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
^ Finn, Christina (28 July 2018). "South Dublin Council won't be flying the Vatican flag, but this Texaco is". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
^ "Beware the pernicious Catholicism that is presently abroad in the land | Kevin McKenna". the Guardian. October 21, 2018. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
^ "In Scotland, flying the Vatican flag 'provocatively' could be criminal". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
^ "Flying Vatican flag in a 'provocative manner' could be a criminal act, say Scottish police". October 3, 2018. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.

External links

[1] "Flag of the Vatican City". flaginstitute.org. Retrieved 2024-05-08.

[2] "United Nations to Raise Holy See Flag on September 25". En.radiovaticana.va. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-10-20.

[3] CNA. "Wikipedia had the wrong Vatican City flag for years. Now incorrect flags are everywhere". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-05-22.

[4] CNA. "American flag in the sanctuary". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-05-22.

[5] "The Vatican Flag". St. Cletus Catholic Church. 13 January 2023.

[6] "The Flag of Vatican City". mnflag.tripod.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22. Roman Catholics throughout the world often use the Vatican flag to express Catholic identity at churches, educational institutions, and other establishments.

[:1-7] "Legge Fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano (13 maggio 2023) | Francesco". www.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2023-05-24.

[8] "[two sections]" (PDF). Acta Apostolicae Sedis. Supplemento per le leggi e disposizioni dello stato della città del Vaticano: 5, 35. 1929 – via Vaticanstate.va.

[2000FL-9] "Legge fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano – 26 novembre 2000". www.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-24.

[Vatican_Press-10] "STATE OF VATICAN CITY, Flag, Coat of Arms and Seal". Holy See Press Office. 2013-09-06. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-06.

[11] "letter from the German nunciature (2010-05-27)" (PDF) (in German). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2021-09-26.

[12] "Storia della Bandiera dello Stato della Città del Vaticano". vatican.va (in Italian). 31 December 2000. Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808.

[13] Helssen, Tim (15 October 2023). "Vatikanexperte erläutert die Papstfarben Gelb und Weiß: Der Schlüssel zur Farbgebung". Domradio (in German). Rom, aber auch die Päpste hatten oft goldene Darstellungen auf rotem Grund in ihren Wappenfahnen. Daher entstand im Herrschaftsgebiet des Papstes so eine Kokarde in den Farben Gelb und Rot.

[14] Becker, William M. (2018). "1: Toward the Modern Papal Colors (1800–1825)". Vatican Flags: Keys and Crowns Since 1800. North American Vexillological Association. p. 22. ISBN 978-0974772875.

[bandiera-15] "Bandiera pontificia" (in Italian). Stato della cità del Vaticano. Archived from the original on 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2008-07-09. Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808, allorché Pio VII

[breschi-16] Breschi, Roberto. "Stato Pontifico" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2014.

[vatflag-17] Becker, Rev. William M. "Flag of Vatican City". Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2014.

[18] Becker, Rev. William M. (Jan–Mar 2012). "The Vatican Flag: Proportions & Alternatives" (PDF). NAVA News. Trenton, New Jersey: North American Vexillological Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2014.

[19] Nations, United. "UN at a glance". United Nations. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-09-30.

[20] "Flags of Holy See, Palestine Fly at UN Headquarters". UN.org. 2015-10-01. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30.

[:0-21] McKeown, Jonah (8 April 2023). "Wikipedia had the wrong Vatican City flag for years. Now incorrect flags are everywhere". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 2023-04-11. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

[22] Neylon, Laoise (21 July 2018). "Flagging support for Vatican". Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.

[23] Finn, Christina (28 July 2018). "South Dublin Council won't be flying the Vatican flag, but this Texaco is". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23.

[24] "Beware the pernicious Catholicism that is presently abroad in the land | Kevin McKenna". the Guardian. October 21, 2018. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.

[25] "In Scotland, flying the Vatican flag 'provocatively' could be criminal". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23.

[26] "Flying Vatican flag in a 'provocative manner' could be a criminal act, say Scottish police". October 3, 2018. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|none}}
-{{See also|List of flags of the Papacy}}
 {{Infobox flag
-| Name =  Vatican City State
+| Name = Vatican City State
-| Image = Flag of the Vatican City.svg
+| Image = Flag of Vatican City State - 2023 version.svg
+| Imagetext = Flag of Vatican City, version since 2023
-| Noborder =no
 | Use = 111000
-| Symbol = {{FIAV|normal}}
+| Symbol = {{FIAV|111000}}{{FIAV|normal}}{{FIAV|Mirror}}
-| Proportion = 1:1
+| Proportion =
-| Adoption = June 7, 1929
+| Adoption = {{start date and age|1929|06|07|df=y}}
-| Design = Two vertical bands, one of gold([[flag terminology|hoist]] side) and one of white with [[Coat of arms of the Holy See|Vatican City coat of arms]] centered.
+| Design = A vertical [[bicolour (flag)|bicolour]] of yellow and white, charged with the [[Coat of arms of the Holy See|coat of arms]] centred on the white portion
 | Designer =
 }}
+{{Vatican City sidebar}}
-[[File:VaticanFlagHalfMastOxford20050403 CopyrightKaihsuTai.JPG|thumb|right|Oratory Church of St Aloysius Gonzaga, [[Oxford]], with the flag of Vatican City flying at [[half-staff]] the day after the death of [[Pope John Paul II]].]]
+The [[national flag]] of [[Vatican City]] was adopted in 1929, the year [[Pope Pius XI]] signed the [[Lateran Treaty]] with [[Fascist Italy|Italy]], creating the new independent state of Vatican City.
-[[File:Vatican-City-Moon-Flag.jpg|thumb|right|The flag taken to the Moon by [[Apollo 11]], displayed in the [[Vatican Museums]] with some [[moon rock]]s]]
+The flag is a vertical [[bicolour (flag)|bicolour]] of yellow and white, with the white half charged with the [[coat of arms of Vatican City]] (a [[papal tiara]] and the crossed [[keys of Saint Peter]]). It was modeled after the 1808 flag of the [[Papal States]], a yellow-and-white bicolour [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] with the tiara and keys in the centre. It is one of only two [[National Flag|national flags]] that use a 1:1 [[aspect ratio]], along with the [[flag of Switzerland]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flag of the Vatican City |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flag-facts/flag-of-the-vatican-city/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=flaginstitute.org}}</ref>
-The '''[[flag]] of [[Vatican City]]''' was adopted on June 7, 1929, the year [[Pope Pius XI]] signed the [[Lateran Treaty]] with [[Italy]], creating a new independent state governed by the Holy See. The Vatican flag is modeled on the flag of the earlier [[Papal States]].
+The flag of Vatican City is also referred as the '''flag of the [[Holy See]]'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=United Nations to Raise Holy See Flag on September 25 |url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/09/21/united_nations_to_raise_holy_see_flag_on_september_25/1173557 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924164133/http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/09/21/united_nations_to_raise_holy_see_flag_on_september_25/1173557 |archive-date=2015-09-24 |access-date=2015-10-20 |website=En.radiovaticana.va}}</ref> The Holy See, which governs Vatican City, has [[ecclesiastical jurisdiction]] over the worldwide [[Catholic Church]]. As a result, the flag is also a symbol of Catholic faith or identity, and is sometimes displayed at Catholic [[Church (building)|churches]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=CNA |title=Wikipedia had the wrong Vatican City flag for years. Now incorrect flags are everywhere |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254032/wikipedia-had-the-wrong-vatican-city-flag-for-years-now-incorrect-flags-are-everywhere |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=CNA |title=American flag in the sanctuary |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/column/51743/american-flag-in-the-sanctuary |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 January 2023 |title=The Vatican Flag |url=https://stcletuschurch.com/news/the-vatican-flag |website=St. Cletus Catholic Church}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Flag of Vatican City |url=https://mnflag.tripod.com/vatflag/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=mnflag.tripod.com |quote=Roman Catholics throughout the world often use the Vatican flag to express Catholic identity at churches, educational institutions, and other establishments.}}</ref>
-==The flag==
-The flag consists of two vertical bands, one of gold or yellow ([[flag terminology|hoist]] side) and one of white with the crossed [[Key (lock)|key]]s of [[Saint Peter]] and the [[Papal Tiara]] centered in the white band. The crossed keys consist of a golden and a silver key, in which the silver key is placed in the dexter position. The flag is one of only two square country flags in the world, the other being the [[flag of Switzerland]]. The yellow and white stripes break the heraldic [[rule of tincture]].
+==Description==
-The [[Coat of arms of the Holy See|Vatican City coat of arms]] can be found in the white half. The coat of arms consists of:
+The 2023 [[Fundamental Law of Vatican City State]] states: "The flag of the [[Vatican City State]] is made up of two vertically divided sides, one yellow adhering to the [[Hoist (flag)|hoist]] and the other white, and in the latter carries the [[Papal tiara|tiara]] with the [[Keys of Heaven|keys]], all according to the model on Annex A of this Law".<ref name=":1" />
+== Regulations ==
-* the [[papal tiara]] (as used under the pontificate of Pius XI);
-* the two keys which represent the keys to Heaven (according to the [[Gospel of Matthew]] 16:19) given by [[Jesus Christ]] to [[St. Peter]]. The popes are regarded as the successor of Peter, and the gold and silver keys have been significant elements in the symbolism of the Holy See since the 13th century. The gold represents spiritual power, while the silver key represents worldly power. The order of the keys on the coat of arms of Vatican City is the reverse of the coat of arms of the Holy See, in order to distinguish between the two entities.
-* a red cord connecting the keys.
+=== Current regulations ===
-The yellow and white of the flag also refer to the keys – in [[heraldry|heraldic]] terminology, there is no distinction between yellow and gold (the metallic color ''or''), nor between white and silver (''argent''). The white has also been reprted in relation with the white mountains of [[Lebanon]] and of the bilical city of MiehWMieh according to the Lebanese Historian [[Anis Freiha]].
+The flag is described in Article 23 of the 2023 [[Fundamental Law of Vatican City State]], with a visual model appended as Attachment A.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Legge Fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano (13 maggio 2023) {{!}} Francesco |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/motu_proprio/documents/20230513-legge-fond-scv.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=www.vatican.va |archive-date=2023-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527132301/https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/motu_proprio/documents/20230513-legge-fond-scv.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
+=== Previous regulations ===
-The flag is flown or displayed worldwide in Roman Catholic churches and institutions, usually alongside the national flag of where the church or institution is located.
+The flag is described in Article 19 of the 1929 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, with a visual model appended as Attachment A.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1929 |title=[two sections] |url=https://www.vaticanstate.va/phocadownload/laws-decrees/Supplementoleggiedisposizioni.pdf |journal=Acta Apostolicae Sedis |volume=Supplemento per le leggi e disposizioni dello stato della città del Vaticano |pages=5, 35 |via=Vaticanstate.va}}</ref>
+The flag is also described in Article 20 of the 2000 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, with a visual model appended as Attachment A.<ref name="2000FL">{{Cite web |title=Legge fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano – 26 novembre 2000 |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/informazione_generale/legge-fondamentale_it.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=www.vatican.va |archive-date=2023-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515213054/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/informazione_generale/legge-fondamentale_it.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Vatican Press">{{Cite web |date=2013-09-06 |title=STATE OF VATICAN CITY, Flag, Coat of Arms and Seal |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/insigne/sp_ss_scv_stemma-bandiera-sigillo_en.html |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516094945/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/insigne/sp_ss_scv_stemma-bandiera-sigillo_en.html |archive-date=16 May 2023 |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=Holy See Press Office |language=en-GB}}</ref> The 2000 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State's Attachment A, shows a square flag.<ref name="Vatican Press" />
+In 2010, the [[Apostolic Nunciature to Germany]] stated that the flag does not have to be square.<ref>{{Cite web |title=letter from the German nunciature (2010-05-27) |url=https://www.protokoll-inland.de/SharedDocs/downloads/Webs/PI/DE/Beflaggung/GenauerBetrachtet/vatikan.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1 |access-date=2021-09-26 |language=de |archive-date=2021-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205175053/https://www.protokoll-inland.de/SharedDocs/downloads/Webs/PI/DE/Beflaggung/GenauerBetrachtet/vatikan.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
+{{Clear}}
 ==History==
+[[File:Vatican flag half-mast Oxford 20050403.jpg|thumb|left|Flag of Vatican City flying at [[half-staff]] outside the [[Oxford Oratory]] on the day after the [[death of Pope John Paul II]]]]
+Before 1808, the Papal States commonly used a bicolor, yellow-red flag, which was derived from the colours of the Holy See's coat of arms, as well as being the two traditional colours of the Senate and the Roman people.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/insigne/bandiera_storia_it.html |title=Storia della Bandiera dello Stato della Città del Vaticano |date=31 December 2000 |website=vatican.va |language=it |quote="Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808."}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Vatikanexperte erläutert die Papstfarben Gelb und Weiß: Der Schlüssel zur Farbgebung |date=15 October 2023 |language=de |url=https://www.domradio.de/artikel/vatikanexperte-erlaeutert-die-papstfarben-gelb-und-weiss |first=Tim |last=Helssen |website=[[:de:Domradio|Domradio]] |quote="Rom, aber auch die Päpste hatten oft goldene Darstellungen auf rotem Grund in ihren Wappenfahnen. Daher entstand im Herrschaftsgebiet des Papstes so eine Kokarde in den Farben Gelb und Rot."}}</ref> In 1798, Napoleon established the [[Roman Republic (1798–1799)|Roman Republic]], which introduced a black, white, and red flag; after the Papal rule was restored, [[Pope Pius VII]] restored the Papal cockade, which was described as red and yellow.<ref>{{cite book |title=Vatican Flags: Keys and Crowns Since 1800 |first=William M. |last=Becker |chapter=1: Toward the Modern Papal Colors (1800–1825) |isbn=978-0974772875 |publisher=North American Vexillological Association |year=2018 |page=22}}</ref>
+In 1808, Pope [[Pius VII]] ordered the [[Noble Guard (Vatican)|Vatican's Noble Guard]] and other troops to replace red color with white, in order to distinguish them from the troops that had been incorporated into [[Napoleon]]'s army.<ref name="bandiera">{{cite web | url = http://www.vaticanstate.va/IT/Stato_e_Governo/NoteGenerali/Bandiera.htm | title = Bandiera pontificia | publisher = Stato della cità del Vaticano | access-date = 2008-07-09 | quote = Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808, allorché Pio VII | language = it | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081015004609/http://www.vaticanstate.va/IT/Stato_e_Governo/NoteGenerali/Bandiera.htm | archive-date = 2008-10-15 }}</ref>
-The Vatican traditionally used a yellow and red flag, the traditional colors of the Roman Senate and the Roman people.<ref name="bandiera"/>
+In 1803, the Papal States started using a white [[merchant flag]] with the Papal coat of arms in the centre. This flag was made official on 7 June 1815. On 17 September 1825, it was replaced with a yellow and white flag which took its colours from the materials of the two keys (yellow for gold, white for silver). These colors were probably taken from the 1808 flag of the Palatine guard.<ref name="breschi">{{cite web |last=Breschi |first=Roberto |title=Stato Pontifico |url=http://digilander.libero.it/breschirob/chiesa.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923205719/http://digilander.libero.it/breschirob/chiesa.html |archive-date=23 September 2015 |access-date=9 February 2014 |language=it}}</ref> This was the first bicolour used by the Papal States and the ancestor of the modern flag of Vatican City.<ref name="vatflag">{{cite web|url=http://vatflag.tripod.com/|access-date=9 February 2014|last=Becker|first=Rev. William M.|title=Flag of Vatican City|archive-date=6 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106203346/http://vatflag.tripod.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> The merchant flag also served as a state flag on land.<ref name="breschi" />
-In 1808 Pope [[Pius VII]] ordered the [[Noble Guard (Vatican)|Vatican's Noble Guard]] and other troops to replace the yellow and red colors with yellow and white. The only exception were the troops that were serving in the French armies under the command of General Sestio A. F. Miollis, who was allowed to keep using the old colors.<ref name="bandiera"/>
-In 1824 the Vatican's merchant navy used a white a yellow flag, but they were set in diagonal.<ref name="bandiera"/> In 1848 tri-color ties (white, red and green) were added to the merchant navy.<ref name="bandiera"/>
+Starting in 1831, the papal infantry flew square yellow and white flags. At first, they were diagonally divided, but after 1849 they were vertically divided like the merchant flag. The last infantry colour, adopted in 1862, was a plain square white and yellow flag.<ref name="vatflag" />
+On 8 February 1849, while Pope [[Pius IX]] was in exile in [[Gaeta]], a [[Roman Republic (19th century)|Roman Republic]] was declared. The new government's flag was the [[Flag of Italy|Italian tricolor]] with the motto "Dio e Popolo" on the central stripe. The papal government and its flags were restored on 2 July 1849. On 20 September 1870, the [[Capture of Rome|Papal States were conquered by Italy]].
-In 1849 Pope [[Pius IX]] returned from his exile in [[Gaeta]] and ordered the colors to be disposed vertically and replaced the ties with the papal coat of arms.<ref name="bandiera"/>
+After the [[Lateran Treaty]] was signed in 1929, papal authorities decided to use the 1825–1870 merchant flag as the state flag of the soon to be independent Vatican City state.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Becker |first=Rev. William M. |date=Jan–Mar 2012 |title=The Vatican Flag: Proportions & Alternatives |url=http://nava.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NAVANews_2012_no213.pdf |journal=NAVA News |location=Trenton, New Jersey |publisher=North American Vexillological Association |access-date=9 February 2014 |archive-date=6 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606112916/https://nava.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NAVANews_2012_no213.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The treaty came into effect on 7 June 1929.
-On February 11, 1929, Pope Pius XI signed the Lateran Treaty with Italy, recognizing the current flag as the legal flag of a foreign state, thus protecting it under Article 299 of the Italian Criminal Code.<ref name="bandiera"/> It was ratified by the Italian parliament in June 7, 1929.
+=== Previous versions ===
-==The flags of the Papal States==
 <gallery>
+File:Flag of the Papal States (pre 1808).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Papal States until 1808
-File:Flag of the Papal States (pre 1808).svg|<center>Flag of the Papal States prior to 1808.<ref name="bandiera">{{cite web | url = http://www.vaticanstate.va/IT/Stato_e_Governo/NoteGenerali/Bandiera.htm | title = Bandiera pontificia | publisher = Stato della cità del Vaticano | accessdate = 2008-07-09 | quote = Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808, allorché Pio VII }} {{it icon}}</ref>
-File:Flag of the Papal States (1808-1870).svg|<center>Flag of the Papal States between 1808 and 1870.<ref name="bandiera" />
+File:Flag of the Papal States (1803-1825).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Papal States between 1803 and 1825
+File:Flag of the Papal States (1825-1870).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Papal States in periods 1825-1849 and 1849-1870
+File:Flag of the Papal States (1808-1870).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Papal States used between 1862 and 1870
+File:Flag of the State of the Church (1870) Porta Pia.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Papal States that flew over [[Porta Pia]] during the fall of Rome in 1870
+File:Flag of Vatican City - 1929 Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, p. 35 (cleaned up).png|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of Vatican City from 1929 to 2001 as depicted in the 1929 Fundamental Law of the Vatican City State
+File:Flag of Vatican City (1929–2001).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of Vatican City from 1929 to 2001
+File:Flag of the Vatican City (2001–2023).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of Vatican City from 2001 to 2023
 </gallery>
-{{-}}
+== Raising of the flag at the United Nations ==
+Since September 2015, the [[Headquarters of the United Nations|United Nations headquarters]] has begun displaying the flags of [[United Nations General Assembly observers|UN observer states]] alongside the [[Member states of the United Nations|193 member state]] flags. On September 25, 2015, the flag of the Holy See was raised for the first time at the UN headquarters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nations |first=United |title=UN at a glance |url=https://www.un.org/en/model-united-nations/un-glance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240930123104/https://www.un.org/en/model-united-nations/un-glance |archive-date=2024-09-30 |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=United Nations |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-10-01 |title=Flags of Holy See, Palestine Fly at UN Headquarters |url=https://dam.media.un.org/archive/Two-new-flag-added-to-United-Nations-family-flags-Vatican-and-Palestine-2AM9LO46AB5A.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240930115548/https://dam.media.un.org/archive/Two-new-flag-added-to-United-Nations-family-flags-Vatican-and-Palestine-2AM9LO46AB5A.html |archive-date=2024-09-30 |website=UN.org}}</ref>
+== Incorrect version ==
+{{multiple image
+| align = right
+| image1 = Flag of Vatican City (red tiara).svg
+| width1 = 145
+| alt1 =
+| caption1 = Image of the incorrect version from 2017 to 2022.
+| image2 = Be Apostolic nunciature 01 (cropped).jpg
+| width2 = 100
+| alt2 =
+| caption2 = Incorrect flag with the lining of the tiara colored red, in use at the [[Apostolic Nunciature to Germany]] in Berlin
+| footer =
+}}
+An incorrect version of the flag has been commonly used. In this version, the visible inner lining of the [[papal tiara]] is colored red instead of white, and a different shade of yellow or gold is used in some portions of the coat of arms. This version is due to a depiction of the Vatican flag used on [[Wikimedia Commons]] between 2006 and 2007 and between 2017 and 2022, and has since become widespread on the Internet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=McKeown |first=Jonah |date=8 April 2023 |title=Wikipedia had the wrong Vatican City flag for years. Now incorrect flags are everywhere |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254032/wikipedia-had-the-wrong-vatican-city-flag-for-years-now-incorrect-flags-are-everywhere |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411234445/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254032/wikipedia-had-the-wrong-vatican-city-flag-for-years-now-incorrect-flags-are-everywhere |url-status=live }}</ref>
+{{Clear}}
+==Controversies==
+During Pope Francis's 2018 [[Visit by Pope Francis to Ireland|visit to Ireland]], the [[South Dublin County Council]] refused to fly the Vatican flag; a local [[petrol station]] began to fly the flag in response.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Neylon |first=Laoise |title=Flagging support for Vatican |date=21 July 2018 |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/flagging-support-for-vatican-8c7d0s9h9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223225609/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/flagging-support-for-vatican-8c7d0s9h9 |archive-date=2021-12-23 |access-date=2021-12-23 |via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Finn |first=Christina |date=28 July 2018 |title=South Dublin Council won't be flying the Vatican flag, but this Texaco is |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/vatican-flag-4151619-Jul2018/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223225609/https://www.thejournal.ie/vatican-flag-4151619-Jul2018/ |archive-date=2021-12-23 |access-date=2021-12-23 |website=TheJournal.ie}}</ref>
+A [[Police Scotland]] list of flags which could be a criminal offence to display "in a threatening manner" included the Vatican flag; [[sectarianism]] is common in Scotland, especially [[Sectarianism in Glasgow|in Glasgow]], and the Vatican flag could supposedly be flown as a sign of Catholic identity to intimidate [[Protestant]] neighbours.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 21, 2018 |title=Beware the pernicious Catholicism that is presently abroad in the land &#124; Kevin McKenna |url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/21/beware-pernicious-catholicism-presently-stalking-the-land |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223225615/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/21/beware-pernicious-catholicism-presently-stalking-the-land |archive-date=December 23, 2021 |access-date=December 23, 2021 |website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=In Scotland, flying the Vatican flag 'provocatively' could be criminal |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/39558/in-scotland-flying-the-vatican-flag-provocatively-could-be-criminal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223225608/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/39558/in-scotland-flying-the-vatican-flag-provocatively-could-be-criminal |archive-date=2021-12-23 |access-date=2021-12-23 |website=Catholic News Agency}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 3, 2018 |title=Flying Vatican flag in a 'provocative manner' could be a criminal act, say Scottish police |url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/flying-vatican-flag-in-a-provocative-manner-could-be-a-criminal-act-say-scottish-police/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223225610/https://catholicherald.co.uk/flying-vatican-flag-in-a-provocative-manner-could-be-a-criminal-act-say-scottish-police/ |archive-date=December 23, 2021 |access-date=December 23, 2021}}</ref>
 ==See also==
 {{Portal|Vatican City}}
+*[[Coat of arms of Vatican City]]
+*[[List of flags of the Papacy]]
+*[[History of Christian flags]]
 *[[Christian Flag]]
+*[[Index of Vatican City-related articles]]
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
+== Further reading ==
+* [https://mnflag.tripod.com/vatflag/ Flag of Vatican City] by Rev. William M. Becker
+* {{Cite journal |last=Becker |first=William M. |date=2018 |title=Vatican Flags: Keys and Crowns Since 1800 |url=https://nava.org/raven-volume-25 |journal=Raven |publisher=[[North American Vexillological Association]] |volume=28}}
+* {{Cite web |title=Storia della Bandiera dello Stato della Città del Vaticano |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/insigne/bandiera_storia_it.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=vatican.va}}
 ==External links==
-* {{FOTW|id=va|title=Vatican City}}
+{{commons category|National flag of the Vatican City}}
+* [https://www.vaticanstate.va/it/stato-governo/note-generali/bandiera.html Official description and image of the flag, on the website of the Vatican City State]
-* [http://vatflag.tripod.com/ Flag of Vatican City] by Rev. William M. Becker
+* [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/documents/insigne/sp_ss_scv_stemma-bandiera-sigillo_en.html#Flag%20of%20the%20Vatican%20City%20State Official description and image of the flag, on the website of the Vatican Secretariat of State]
+* [https://press.vatican.va/content/dam/salastampa/it/bollettino/documentazione-linkata/allegato_A.pdf Official description and image of the flag, according to the 2023 Fundamental Law of Vatican City] (PDF).
 {{Vatican City topics}}
@@ Line 64: / Line 114: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Vatican City, Flag of the}}
-[[Category:Vatican City culture|Flag]]
+[[Category:Flags introduced in 1929]]
+[[Category:Flags of Vatican City| Flag]]
+[[Category:Flags with crosses|Vatican City]]
 [[Category:National flags]]
 [[Category:Religious flags]]
+[[Category:Religion and politics]]

v t e Flags of Europe
Sovereign states	Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Kazakhstan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom Vatican City
States with limited recognition	Abkhazia Kosovo Northern Cyprus South Ossetia Transnistria
Dependencies and other entities	Åland Faroe Islands Gibraltar Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey Svalbard
Other entities	European Union Sovereign Military Order of Malta

v t e National flags and coats of arms
National flags	Sovereign states Dependent territories Timeline
National coats of arms	Sovereign states Dependent territories
Heraldry portal