Crosses on Flags



Many national and district flags feature religious crosses, and this page lists those featured on this website.

They fall into seven main groups:

• St. Andrew's Cross, the 'X' shaped cross
• Greek Cross, the basis of many British-related flags
• Maltese Cross, a popular image with Crusader connotations
• 4 C's Cross, the basis of many regional flags in Serbia
• Nordic Cross, based on the Danish flag and used in all Scandinavian flags
• Southern Cross, the stars incorporated in Southern Hemisphere flags
• Others

Although the flags feature a cross, usually the flag represents a country or region - not Christianity. For example, the Union Flag of the United Kingdom features three Christian crosses. But this flag represents the union of three kingdoms - not a triple dose of Christianity nor even the Holy Trinity. Nevertheless, these flags do carry a symbol that has Christian roots and whether intentional or not, they can be perceived by Christians and others as religious symbols.

There are other flags with crosses, many of which are 'unofficial', that is, appearing on various websites but not necessarily in the country's or region's constitution. Such flags are generally omitted from this page, as are many old flags that have been replaced with a non-cross design, and military flags which are variations of the national flag.

When people salute the flag, they are usually oblivious to the Christianity implied by the cross. They salute the flag to show their respect, pride, reverence, etc., to what the flag represents. Flags are pretty powerful symbols. With or without a cross, it doesn't take long for patriots to take 'allegiance to the flag' literally and the flag becomes a fetish. Consider:

• 
  UK - the spectacular 'Trooping of the Colour' pageant in London each summer. This is a solemn religious ceremony. After new flags have been consecrated, the retiring flags are laid up in a church where another religious ceremony is held.
• 
  USA - the burning of the Stars and Stripes flag is considered anarchic and sacrilegious. There are serious proposals to make this a criminal offence (or 'offense' since it would only apply in the US) There is a pledge of allegiance to the flag, it has its own cross (Old Glory Cross), its own birthday (14 June), its own website (www.usflag.org), its own laws (the Flag Act), its own newspaper ('Stars and Stripes' - a soldier's rag since the American Civil War), it is saluted, raised at dawn to its own music, lowered at dusk to its own music, there are several songs (US national anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner), a ceremony for folding it, and a 'funeral' ceremony for disposing of old flags.

Click any flag for details about its cross

St. Andrew's Cross

Greek Cross

Maltese Cross

4 C's Cross
found on regional flags in Serbia

Horizontal Latin Cross known as the
Nordic Cross

Southern Cross

Four main stars:

plus the smaller fifth star, Epsilon Crucis:

and further stars on the flags of:

Other Crosses

Click any flag for details of its cross

An excellent flag locator is at flagid.org