Many mistakenly believe that the St. Andrew's flag is a naval flag Russian Federation. This is a wrong opinion. St. Andrew's flag is any flag, among the elements of which is the St. Andrew's Cross. Such a misconception arises due to the fact that exactly the version of its image that is used on the naval flag is considered the classic St. Andrew's flag. The recognizable flag of Great Britain, the flag of Scotland and many other flags, including the guis of the Russian Navy, also have this cross as the basis for the entire design. But in this context, we will focus on the naval flag of the Russian Federation.

The history of the Andreevsky flag as the basis for the military maritime flag Russian Federation.

The classic St. Andrew's flag is a standard rectangular canvas, from the center to the corners is the St. Andrew's Cross. The background color of the cloth is usually blue, and the cross itself, as already mentioned, is diagonal, white color. Color inversion is possible (this option is used on the flag of Scotland). The St. Andrew's Cross is an independent symbol that refers to the crucifixion of St. Andrew the First-Called. As the saying goes New Testament, The Apostle Andrew was crucified on two boards crossed and obliquely located in relation to the ground, which explains the fact that the pattern of the cross on the flags is also diagonal. What is interesting and noticeable by which organizations use the St. Andrew's Cross on their flags, all of them in one way or another are related to the sea and water in principle. This is the fleet of the Russian Empire and the Russian Federation, these are countries whose fleet has always been very powerful, and whose borders are guarded by the sea - Jamaica, Great Britain. This feature is explained by the fact that Andrew the First-Called is considered the patron of maritime activities.

The first organization that began to use this symbol on its attributes was Scotland. At the time of the adoption of such symbols, Scotland was still a separate kingdom (832). Of course, this year is very approximate, since it is problematic to accurately verify this fact due to the lack of an exact documentary evidence. According to legend, during the war with the Angles, the Scottish king, in despair, swore that if the Scots won, he would declare Andrew the First-Called patron of his kingdom. At the same moment, the outlines of the St. Andrew's Cross clearly appeared in the sky. In that battle, the Scots, however, won and fulfilled their promise, including by approving such a flag. But perhaps the most famous use of the cross in symbolism is British flag. The way everyone knows him, he also owes the flag of the Scottish kingdom. In the 17th century, a king, a Scot by birth, ascended the English throne. In honor of the unification of England and Scotland, a new flag was established. Later, as you know, other lands joined this union, in the end, the flag acquired a modern look.

In Russia, flags with the St. Andrew's Cross existed at the time Russian Empire after their establishments by Peter the Great. These were guises, fortress flags. The ruler adopted the cross from the symbols of the Dutch fleet during his visit to Europe. During the USSR appearance The flag has completely changed, the St. Andrew's Cross was abandoned in favor of Soviet symbols. In 1992, after the collapse of the USSR and the creation of the Navy of the Russian Federation, the element of the cross was returned to use again. Currently, the St. Andrew's Cross is depicted by the guis of the Russian Navy, the fortress flag, the flag of the Coast Guard of the Border Troops of the Russian Federation, the naval flag of the Russian Federation. On these flags, except for the last one, the cross is not used in its classical form, which manifests itself in other colors and proportions.

St. Andrew's flag as the naval ensign of the Russian Federation.

The very first Russian naval flag was not even the Andreevsky flag at all. It was the flag of the ship "Eagle". The exact drawing of this flag is not known. Many assumptions are put forward, most of which ultimately boil down to the fact that the flag most likely contained white, red and blue (or blue) colors, its design was based on stripes. The location of the stripes relative to each other, their proportions are not exactly known. Until 1699, there were several more versions of the naval flag, the appearance of some is not thoroughly known. In that year, Peter the Great, by his decree, established the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, which already used the element of the St. Andrew's Cross. After that, the ruler decided to introduce it into another official symbolism - the guis and the naval flag. Interesting fact: the naval ensign was not always referred to as such. During the time of Peter the Great, for example, it was called the First Admiral's Flag.

The Russian Empire ceased to exist during civil war at the beginning of the twentieth century. From 1918 to 1924, the St. Andrew's Cross was still present on the naval flag, sometimes with other elements (for example, with a white deer in the center of the cross). In 1924, flags with the element of the cross finally ceased to exist due to the recognition foreign countries Soviet Russia.

In 1992, the Russian Federation again introduced elements of the St. Andrew's Cross into its symbolism. The stern ensign of the ships of the imperial fleet was taken as a sample. However, the color of the cross was changed from deep blue to light blue. In this form, the flag lasted until 2001, in which the color was changed again, this time to the original blue. The background of the flag is white. Preserved from the time of the Great Patriotic War and Guards Naval Flag. It was worn by those ships and their formations that were awarded the title of Guards. The flag was supplemented with a St. George ribbon, located just below the center of the flag from the outer edge of one strip of the cross to the outer edge of the second along the entire length. There are also the Order Naval Flag and the Guards Order Naval Flag. This symbolism is worn by those ships that were awarded the Order of the Russian Federation. In the upper left corner of the usual naval flag is the image of the order itself. The Guards Order flag also has a St. George ribbon.

Of course, anyone who served in navy Russian Federation is proud of it. And for any Russian person, in principle, the symbolism of the St. Andrew's Cross is to some extent sacred. Peter the Great successfully combined the fleet and this symbol, which even modern legislators recognized, allowing the St. Andrew's flag to return as a naval one almost 80 years after its abolition.

St. Andrew's Flag Day


On December 11, St. Andrew's Flag Day is celebrated in Russia. In the review of the Military Pro - the history of the naval St. Andrew's flag. It is also possible to buy St. Andrew's flag and other goods with the symbols of the Russian maritime flag.

The history of the creation of the Andreevsky flag

A mandatory state attribute is a flag, which is created based on the combination different colors and symbols. But other administrative-territorial units also have their own banners, international organizations, government agencies and military formations.

For the army, the flag does not just play a symbolic role, but is one of the main elements of the existence of a combat unit. In the old days, the loss of a battle banner could lead to the dissolution of the entire unit, which could not keep track of its flag.

The history of the creation of the Russian navy is connected with Peter the Great, who, after his trip to Europe, decided on the need to form strong army on the sea.

A new military formation required its own flag, so the emperor personally took up its development. A total of 8 options were drawn, of which the most successful was chosen. The actual history of the St. Andrew's flag in Rus' dates back to December 11, 1699.

At first, the St. Andrew's Cross was simply added to the banner, and the full transition to the flag in usual form took place in 1712, after which it was used on all ships of the Russian squadron.

It is worth noting that the St. Andrew's Cross is rooted in the distant past, associated with religious events. The fact is that one of the apostles - Andrew the First-Called - was executed by crucifixion on an oblique cross, after which he began to be called St. Andrew's.

This symbol is very popular in heraldry and is often used on flags in various variations. It can be seen on the banners of Jamaica, Great Britain, Scotland, Australia, British territories, various regional associations and organizations.

Having finally approved the Russian St. Andrew's flag, the emperor uttered the following phrase: “The flag is white, through which the blue cross of St. Andrew for the sake of what Rus' received from this apostle holy baptism».

It was under this banner that the imperial fleet won a large number of glorious victories and accomplished a lot of heroic deeds. In the entire history of battles, of which there will be several dozen, the Andreevsky flag was lowered by the team only twice.

For the first time, the frigate Raphael voluntarily capitulated, surrendering to the mercy of the Turkish squadron in May 1829, and the second time 5 ships surrendered at once during the Tsushima battle of the Russo-Japanese War.

The importance of the banner for the fleet is evidenced by the fact that in the parting word before the battle, the ship commander said at the end the phrase: “God and St. Andrew's flag are with us!” It was necessary to defend the banner to the last, and, in last resort- destroy, but not give into the hands of the enemy.

St. Andrew's flag in the USSR

The Andreevsky flag of the Navy lost its official status in 1917 after the revolution. But until 1924, it was used by the ships of the rebellious White Guards, who fought to restore the monarchy. AT Soviet times all symbols of imperial Russia were banned.

In the Second World War, under the Andreevsky flag, the collaborationist army of General Vlasov fought. Because of this, a part of the population perceives a white flag crossed out with a blue cross negatively. But here it is worth noting that just not everyone knows the true origin and meaning of this symbol.

St. Andrew's Flag Day of Russia


The naval St. Andrew's flag after the collapse of the USSR was returned to the Russian fleet on January 17, 1992. It is noteworthy that the day before, a meeting of the heads of the CIS powers took place, at which a joint decision was made to return the historical banners to the ships.

On July 21, 1992, a corresponding decree of the President of the Russian Federation was signed on the use of the Andreevsky flag by all combat units of the Navy.

It was decided to celebrate St. Andrew's Flag Day on December 11th to pay tribute to its creator. For the population as a whole, this day passes almost unnoticed, but in the Navy, the date is one of the main dates of the year.

All sailors congratulate each other on the holiday, and gala dinners are served on ships. The command also holds lectures on the history of the Russian fleet in order to raise the morale of the personnel and show that they can be proud of their ancestors.

The maritime St. Andrew's flag flies not only on the ships of the fleet, but also over the Kronstadt lighthouse. It is this port city that is the cradle of the Russian fleet, so here, contrary to established tradition, not regional symbols are used, but a military banner.

Although there are no symbols associated with the St. Andrew's Cross on the city's flag itself, none of the townspeople object to such symbolism.

Where to buy symbols with St. Andrew's flag?

You can buy gifts with St. Andrew's flag at the Voenpro military store. The online store offers the richest collection of accessories with prints of the Russian navy.

Here you can find themed t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatshirts, hats and a lot of other items of clothing. All images are applied with modern technologies, so that they can withstand numerous washing cycles and not lose their original appearance under the influence of external factors.

Delivery is carried out to any city in the world, and the client can choose a payment method from numerous options.

There are also other souvenirs with St. Andrew's flag on sale. For example, you can buy a flask, a keychain, a lighter, and many, many other useful items that will have practical applications.

Any sailor will gladly accept such a thing as a gift, which will always remind him of belonging to sea ​​element. Even on the shore, he will always remember the endless blue expanses.

The flag itself is also sold in Voenpro, and you can choose sizes from a small flag on the glass in a car, to a huge banner that you can put in your yard.

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

St. Andrew's flag can raise a lot of questions, but after considering the history of its appearance, you can easily answer most of them.

Description of the Andreevsky flag


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

Today this symbol appears on the flags of Alabama, Scotland, Jamaica, Tenerife and a number of other states, where it has its own design features. In Russia, it is used precisely 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 Rus', and therefore is its patron. He traveled a lot, was persecuted, preached, performed miracles of faith, and then 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 free him. He chose an oblique cross, because he considered himself unworthy to follow the same fate as Jesus himself. This cross, to which he was tied, became his symbol.

Where was the St. Andrew's flag raised for the first time?

St. Andrew's flag appeared in the English and Scottish unions in 1606-1707, and from 1707 to 1801 - already in the union of Great Britain. On the flag of Scotland, the flag with an oblique cross appeared for the first time, this is due to the legend of King Angus II. It is believed that in 832, when this leader was at the head of an army of Scots and Picts, which was supposed to fight the Angles, he prayed, vowed to declare Andrew the patron saint of Scotland if he was granted victory. In the morning, after a night of prayer, I discovered that the clouds in the sky had risen in an oblique cross, which was transferred to the panels after the victory, despite the preponderance of forces on the side of the enemy. However, the first documented appearance of the St. Andrew's Cross in official sources dates back to 1286, this is the seal of the guards of Scotland. In 1503, the flag with this cross appeared for the first time, and in the future 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 on the stern and on the guis. Then, in 1918, it was decided to replace it with state banners, after which it was worked out new version Andreevsky flag, which for many decades became the symbol of the Soviet Navy. The politics and worldviews of those times did not allow the presence of references to religion, and the old symbols, characteristic of the previous period of royal power, were also actively eradicated. White background remained, as well as one blue stripe that ran along the panel horizontally from below. In the center, there is a star and a hammer and sickle, symbols of the country's new era.


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

To date, the St. Andrew's flag remains one of the main symbols of the Russian fleet, the sailors are extremely reverent about it, as a centuries-old heritage. The image of the flag can be seen not only on ships, it appears on chevrons and a host of other identifying elements. There are no intentions to change this symbol in the future, because sailors respect and cherish their traditions, and this flag is recognizable at first sight in the seas and oceans of the whole world.

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St. Andrew's flag is a cloth on which a blue cross is depicted. This cross is called St. Andrew's.

There are at least two versions of the appearance of this flag in Russia. One of the versions says that the amusing ships of Peter I sailed under such a flag.

The second version of the appearance of the Andreevsky flag is as follows: Russian ambassadors were heading to Turkey and they needed a flag.

Peter I took it upon himself to make a sketch. After some time, the flag was ready, and it was a three-stripe banner, on which the St. Andrew's Cross was depicted.

Since then, Russian ships have sailed under this banner. The appearance of the Andreevsky flag is dated, according to the second version, in 1699.

In 1703, the St. Andrew's flag became the official flag of the Russian fleet. This happened after the Russian troops occupied the mouth of the Neva.

The Russian Empire now had access to the White, Caspian, Baltic and Azov Seas.

And now main question. Why did the St. Andrew's Cross become the symbol of the Russian fleet? The answer must be sought in Orthodoxy. There once lived two fishermen who fished in the Sea of ​​Galilee.

The names of those fishermen were Andrei and Peter. Andrew became the first person whom Christ called to be his disciple. Therefore, the Apostle Andrew is called the First-Called.

Andrew the First-Called is considered the patron saint of maritime affairs and the Slavs. The apostle preached a lot, including in the places of settlement of the Slavic tribes. Like many of the first preachers of Christianity, he was martyred on an oblique cross.

In this story, there is an answer to the question of why the St. Andrew's flag. Peter I believed that Rus' received holy baptism from Andrew the First-Called, and the Apostle Peter was the patron of the emperor.

In 1709, the appearance of the St. Andrew's flag underwent some changes. Panels of three colors were introduced - white, blue and red, on which there were St. Andrew's crosses. The white St. Andrew's flag was assigned to the squadrons of the admiral, the blue of the vice admiral, and the red of the rear admiral.

Under Anna Ioannovna, the white Andreevsky flag with a transverse blue cross became common to all ships of the Russian fleet. Under Elizabeth Petrovna, St. Andrew's flags of various colors again appeared.

Blue belonged to the avant-garde, white - to the corde battles, red to the rear guard. Catherine II returned a single white flag. And Paul I, again returned the options for using the St. Andrew's flag of 1709.

In 1865, by decree of Alexander II, the Russian fleet had a single white St. Andrew's flag and passed under it until the 1917 revolution.

Ships that especially managed to distinguish themselves in battle received a special banner - the St. Andrew's flag. The first ship to receive such a banner was the Azov. "Azov" especially distinguished himself during the Battle of Navarino, during one of the Russian-Turkish wars.

In January 1992, the status of the Naval flag of Russia was returned to the St. Andrew's flag. It was a wise and historically correct decision. St. Andrew's flag - personifies the power, strength and valor of the Russian fleet, which more than once terrified and feared the enemies of our Motherland.

Under the Andreevsky flag, Russian ships went to different countries peace . Very well, by the way.

The Russian Andreevsky flag is made in the form of a rectangular white panel, with a blue cross depicted on it. In the history of our state, there are two opinions about the appearance of this banner. On the first...

The Russian Andreevsky flag is made in the form of a rectangular white panel, with a blue cross depicted on it.

In the history of our state, there are two opinions about the appearance of this banner.

According to the first version, some historians claim that the St. Andrew's flag adorned all the ships of the famous amusing armada of the great Tsar Peter.

According to other statements, the creator of this banner was Peter the Great himself, who drew his sketch for the Russian ambassadors sent to Turkey. The original version was a three-stripe cloth with the St. Andrew's Cross applied to it.

Since that time, all Russian ships have sailed under this cloth. The exact date of the creation of this flag is considered to be 1699, and since 1703 it has been considered the official banner of Russian sailors. This happened to commemorate the victory of the Russian flotilla on the Neva, which opened Russian fleet access to all the seas of the European continent.

The answer to this question lies in the distant history of Orthodoxy. Long ago, there lived two simple fishermen who fished in the sacred waters of the Sea of ​​Galilee. One of them was called Andrey, and the other was Peter. Andrew is one of the few people chosen by Jesus to follow his teachings. Therefore, he was called Andrew the First-Called. The Holy Apostle Andrew has long been considered the patron saint of all Slavic sailors.

Saint Andrew preached the teachings of Christ in the scattered villages of numerous Slavic peoples. Like most of the true disciples of Jesus, he accepted a cruel death on an oblique wooden cross. In honor of this holy great martyr, who was considered the patron saint of Russian emperors, the St. Andrew's flag, which is a symbol of honor and invincibility of the Russian military armada, was named.

Some minor changes in the symbol of the power of the sea power were made in 1709, when new tricolor banners were introduced, which had the famous blue crosses applied to the banners of white, blue and red.

During the reign of Anna Ivanovna, a single sample of the Andreevsky snow-white banner with a blue cross sewn diagonally became a symbol of all the ships of the valiant Russian naval armada.

However, Tsarina Elizaveta Petrovna again made adjustments by introducing St. Andrew's banners of different colors.

Catherine the Second, who ascended the throne, returned the former white flag to the sailors, and the conservative Pavel turned everything back, returning the forgotten attributes of 1709.

And only in 1865, by decree of Tsar Alexander II, a sample of a single white St. Andrew's flag was introduced in Russia, which lasted until the October coup in 1917.

Ships that distinguished themselves in naval battles received the honorary St. George banner. The first Russian warship to receive such a badge of honor was the legendary cruiser Azov, which distinguished itself during the Navarino battle during the war with the Ottoman Empire.

Since January 1992, the famous St. Andrew's flag has received the status official banner Russian military fleet. This was one of the few wise decisions of our government of that time. The legendary St. Andrew's banner proudly flies over Russian ships, personifying courage, strength and invincibility Naval Forces our great homeland.