EUROPA - The European flag Europa The European flag The European flag symbolises both the European Union and, more broadly, the identity and unity of Europe. It features a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background. They stand for the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe. The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of member countries, though the circle is a symbol of unity. History of the European flag The history of the flag goes back to 1955. The Council of Europe - which defends human rights and promotes European culture – chose the present design for its own use. In the years that followed, it encouraged the emerging European institutions to adopt the same flag. In 1983, the European Parliament decided that the Communities’ flag should be that used by the Council of Europe. In 1985, it was adopted by all EU leaders as the official emblem of the European Communities, later to become the European Union. In addition, all European institutions now have their own emblems .

Commemorative euro coin: 30 years of the EU flag To mark the 30th anniversary of the decision by EU leaders to adopt the flag as an EU emblem, the 19 euro area countries are issuing a special commemorative coin. Following an online competition held in 2015 by the European Commission, citizens and residents of the euro area selected the design created by Georgios Stamatopoulos, an engraver at the Bank of Greece. It comprises 12 stars that morph into human figures embracing the birth of a new Europe. Take a look at the winning design.

Reproduction in 2 colours white & blue (17 Kb) European Union This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website European Union Members of the European Union As of 1 July 2013, the 28 members of European Union are: The historical evolution of membership is: 1958: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands 1973: Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom 1981: Greece 2004: Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia 2007: Bulgaria, Romania 2013: Croatia The European currency (euro) is used in 18 countries of the European Union forming the Eurozone: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain (since 1 January 1999); Greece (since 1 January 2001), although coins and notes were released only on 1 January 2002 for all these countries; Slovenia (since 1 January 2007); Cyprus and Malta (since 1 January 2008

); Slovakia (since 1 January 2009); Estonia (since 1 January 2011); Latvia (since 1 January 2014); and Lithuania (since 1 January 2015).

In spite of not being members of European Union, Andorra , the Holy See , Monaco and San Marino have adopted the euro as their currency, following a monetary agreement with the European Union. Kosovo and Monteneogro have also, unilateraly, adopted the euro as their currency. Ivan Sache, 1 January 2015 Flag of the European Union Quoting a document once available on the website of the Council of Europe: The debate on a flag for the Council of Europe begins in 1949 as soon as the Organisation comes into being. Jacques-Camille Paris, the first SG, asks the Bureau of the Assembly to examine the question of a flag in September 1949, but the Bureau decides that the question falls outside of its competence. The Secretariat receives a number of proposals from the public, many of which are still preserved in the Council of Europe Archives. Paul Lévy, Director of information, calls on local heraldic experts for assistance. The following year the Assembly's Committee on General Affairs calls for a series of measures - including a flag - to raise public awareness of "European union". The Assembly refers the question to its Committee on Rules and Procedures and Privileges.

This committee draws up a shortlist of 12 proposals, suggesting that it should be put to a vote of the members of the Assembly. Arsene Heitz, a Council of Europe employee working in the Mail Office, who is credited with the design that is eventually adopted, begins submitting designs for the flag in 1951 and continues to submit new designs up until until 1955. His first preference is for a flag based on the standard of Charlemagne. Almost 30 designs signed by Heitz are conserved in the Archives. Coudenhove Kalergi takes a keen interest in the events, first of all hoping that his own flag will be adopted. The Assembly organises the referendum in December 1951. Meanwhile Salvador de Madariaga (1886-1978) submits his own design of stars on a blue background "The European nations that were fully sovereign in 1938 will be represented each by a golden star on the spot occupied by its capital city on the map". The referendum produces a clear result in favour of the Kalergi proposal. This evokes a strong protest from the Turkish delegation, stating that a cross would not be acceptable to them.

There follows a long diplomatic pause in the search for a flag as the Secretariat reflects on how to respond to these events. Then the idea of a flag consisting of stars moves to the fore. Proposals based on stars, partly inspired by the USA flag, had already appeared among the 12 shortlisted for the Assembly referendum. The question is sent back to the Committee on Rules and Procedures and Privileges. The Committee nominates Bichet as rapporteur. In September 1953 Bichet produces a report proposing a white flag of 15 green stars. The Committee rejects this, preferring gold stars on a blue background, but retaining the 15 stars. The plenary Assembly then adopts this flag as its own emblem (25/9/53) and recommends that the Committee of Ministers follow suit. This provokes a strong protest from Germany, since the number of stars is linked to the number of member States, which clearly includes the disputed territory of the Sarre. The Germans argue that the Committee of Ministers are the only authority competent for choosing an emblem for the Organisation as a whole.

The Ministers' Deputies refer the question to the Joint Committee (15/5/54) and ask the Assembly to suspend their use of the flag. The Joint Committee concludes (19/5/54) that their must be a single emblem for the Organisation and that the Assembly must be associated with the choice, although the actual work will be overseen by the Committee of Ministers. The Ministers Deputies then set up an ad hoc expert committee of three members of the Assembly (including Bichet) and three heraldic experts to study the question. This committee produces a proposal (the "Bichet proposal") for a flag of eight interlocking rings , similar to the flag of the Olympic Games. This proposal is rejected by the Deputies (the Italians compared it to a telephone, the Germans to chains) in December 1954. In January 1955 the Secretariat mounts a mini-exhibition for the Deputies of new flag designs. From this two designs are short-listed, a Heitz design of 12 stars and the Madariaga design. The Deputies forward the two proposals to the Joint Committee, indicating their preference for the former.

In October 1955, the Assembly supports the 12 star flag (25/10/55) and recommends that the Ministers Deputies adopt it. The Deputies adopt it in December (9/12/55). In 1986 the Deputies "take note with satisfaction" of the Decision of the European Community to use the flag as well as the European Anthem. Phil Nelson, 21 October 2004 It was the European Parliament which took the initiative for a flag to be adopted for the European Community. In 1979 a draft resolution was presented, shortly after the first European elections held by universal suffrage. In a resolution adopted in April 1983 the Parliament decreed that the Community's flag should be that adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955. The European Council, meeting at Fontainebleau (France) in June 1984, stressed the importance of promoting the European image and identity in the eyes of its citizens and the world.

Then, in Milan (Italy) in June 1985, it gave its approval to the proposal of the Committee on a People's Europe (Adonnino Committee) that a flag should be adopted by the Community. The Council of Europe agreed to the use by the Community of the European flag that it had adopted in 1955 and Community institutions have been using it since the beginning of 1986. Thus the European flag and emblem represent both the Council of Europe and the European Community (and the European Union, since the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty). It has now become the symbol par excellence of united Europe and European identity. The Council of Europe and the institutions of the European Union have expressed satisfaction with the growing awareness of the European flag and emblem among European citizens. The European Commission and the Council of Europe are responsible for ensuring that all uses of this symbol respect the dignity of the European flag and emblem, and for taking whatever measures are necessary to prevent misuse. David Crowe, 6 November 1998 The adoption process of the European Union flag is described in a paper published on 18 May 1999 in the French newspaper L'Alsace.

The paper reports research done in the elementary school Aristide Briand, under the guidance of the school teacher René Hurstel. The school is located in Benfeld, in Lower-Alsace between Strasbourg and Sélestat. The twelve yellow stars on a blue field were officially adopted as the symbol of the European Community on 26 May 1986. Adoption of a flag and an anthem was suggested during the European council held in Milan on 28 and 29 June 1985. In the beginning of 1986, the European Commission believed that adoption date of the flag and the anthem should be 9 May, the anniversary of Robert Schuman's declaration of 9 May 1950, which is considered as the founding act of the European Union. There were two proposals for the flag: a blue flag with a circle of twelve yellow stars and the letter E in the middle of the circle. the current flag (without the E), already adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955. During parliamentary sessions in Strasbourg, the Presidents of the Parliament, Commission, and Council of Ministers of the European Community often met for lunch meetings.

In March 1986, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Van den Brook met Jacques Delors (President of the Commission) and Pierre Pflimlin (President of the Parliament). Pfimlin is said to have initiated the discussion on the flag. He proposed the current flag and was supported by Delors. Ivan Sache, 6 April 2002 Number of stars on the flag of the European Union The number of stars on the flag of the European Union is definitively 12. In 1953, the Council of Europe had 15 members and its flag should have had one star for each member. The number of stars was not to alter if the number of members changed. However Germany objected to the number 15 because one of the members of the Council was Saarland , and 15 stars would imply "star" sovereignty for that region. France would not agree to 14 stars as that number would acknowledge the absorption of Saarland into Germany. 13 was ruled out for superstitious reasons.

12 was reckoned to be a "good" number because it had no political innuendo, and there are 12 signs of the zodiac; 12 hours on a clock; 12 months in a year; 12 apostles; 12 tables of Roman Law; and 12 starry crowns of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. David Prothero, 12 December 1996 The question of how many stars appear on the European Flag has arisen before. When Sweden, Finland and Austria were admitted in 1995, the number of member states increased from 12 to 15. Several cases exist where people assumed that the number of stars would also increase. A graphic with 15 stars appeared on BBC News for some days. I wrote and told them it was wrong and they reverted to the correct pattern. Despite this, the 15-star version still appeared occasionally. I eventually suggested that the incorrect graphic be destroyed so that it could not appear even by accident. They may have done so as it has not appeared since then. The other, more lasting case, has been with car stickers.

There are car stickers available, oval with the blue of the European flag and the stars and the white letters "GB" in the centre. Most of them have 12 stars, but there are some with 15. I have not yet discovered which company manufactures them. Michael Faul, 5 October 2001 On 16 April 2003, the editorial placed on the front page of La Nouvelle République was entitled Le drapeau aux 25 étoiles (The 25 star flag). This very unfortunate title is confirmed by the very unfortunate body of the article (paragraph 2): À compter du 1er mai 2004, tous ces états seront intégrés à l'Union,[...]. Le drapeau européen comptera alors 25 étoiles. (On 1 May 2004, all those States shall be incorporated to the [European] Union, [...]. The European Union flag will have 25 stars.) The last paragraph of the editorial mentions L'Europe à 25 étoiles (The 25 star Europe).

Ivan Sache, 17 July 2004 European symbols in the European Constitution The Convention published a proposal for the European Constitution ( text ). The symbols of the Union are described as follows: Part IV New Article IV-0 The symbols of the Union The flag of the Union shall be a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background. The anthem of the Union shall be based on the Ode to Joy from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. The motto of the Union shall be: United in diversity. The currency of the Union shall be the euro. 9 May shall be celebrated throughout the Union as Europe day. [The Convention considers that this Article would be better situated in Part I.] Pascal Vagnat, 10 July 2003 Unofficial flag of the European Community Flag used by the European Community - Tentative image by António Martins, 17 August 2005 An unofficial European Community flag was displayed on the occasion of a visit to the Commission (Berlaymont, Brussels) by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, 20 May 1985 ( photo ). The flag is blue with a yellow symbol, probably a single round "E".

Kristian Söderbergh & António Martins, 17 August 2005 The flag - The symbols of the European Union - CVCE Website Resources (64) The flag of the European Union Among the Union’s symbols, the flag with a circle of 12 golden stars on a blue background, adopted by the Council of Europe on 8 December 1955 and taken up by the Community in 1986, is obviously a symbol of identity par excellence. Any interpretation of the symbolism of the flag has to start from its symbolic and heraldic description. Its symbolic description states that ‘against the background of blue sky, twelve golden stars form a circle representing the union of the peoples of Europe. The number of stars is fixed, twelve being the symbol of perfection and unity.’ The heraldic description states: ‘on an azure field, a circle of twelve golden mullets, their points not touching.’ The symbolic components to be considered are therefore: (a) the circle; (b) the stars, including their number and shape; (c) the colours. The circle first of all. A circle has no beginning or end, no direction or orientation, and is homogeneous, perfect and indivisible.

A circle leads back to itself and is therefore a symbol of unity, of the absolute and of perfection. In a circle, all the points of the circumference are equidistant from the centre. For this reason it is a good illustration of the union of the peoples of Europe to which the official symbolic description refers. However, it is just as good an illustration of the parity of the Member States. Second, the stars. They light the night sky and orbit around the polar star and are therefore perceived as symbols of the cosmic order. In flags, the star illustrates independence, unity, liberty, renewal and hope. It is not by chance that the flags of many former colonies contain stars, together, in many Islamic countries, with the crescent. When there is more than one star, they generally represent a unit of measurement, i.e. they number federal states (United States), provinces (Costa Rica, Venezuela), geographical areas (Philippines), parishes (Grenada), islands (Comoros, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe) and peoples (Burundi, Burma).

One of the features of the stars of the European flag is that they have five points which do not touch one another; they are also known as pentagrams or pentacles. Since five-pointed stars can be drawn with a single, unbroken closed line, the Pythagoreans gave them a mystical meaning of perfection. In the European flag, the pentagram fits in well with the circle, which is also a symbol of perfection. The five-pointed star is also the symbol of man as an individual possessing five fingers and toes, five senses and five limbs. If the points of the stars do not touch, this means that the circle is open. Symbolically, therefore, the European Union is not a closed society; it is not, as is often said with a negative connotation, a fortress; on the contrary, the European Union is above all open to the accession of the States of Europe and is an active member of the international community, being open to the outside world and playing its part in the life of international relations. The number of stars is fixed and was set at 12 in 1955. Twelve is considered to be an ideal number.

It provided the foundation of the Babylonian numerical system (called duodecimal for that reason). There are 12 signs of the zodiac, which therefore represent the universe. There are 12 months of the year, 12 hours of the day and 12 hours of the night, 12 Egyptian gods, 12 Olympian deities who formed the Greek pantheon from the 5th century BC, 12 laps in the chariot races of ancient Greece, 12 labours of Hercules in Greek mythology, 12 tables making up the first codification of Roman law, 12 knights of King Arthur’s Round Table in Celtic tradition and 12 gates of Paradise in Scandinavia. Twelve is also a number in Judaeo-Christian symbolism. The tree of life has 12 fruits; there are 12 sons of Jacob, 12 patriarchs, 12 tribes of Israel and 12 gates of the New Jerusalem.

Moses sent 12 explorers to the lands of Canaan, the bread multiplied by Jesus was placed in 12 baskets and Jesus speaks of 12 legions of angels after the kiss of Judas; lastly, there are 12 apostles. The number 12 is also the product of multiplying three, always a divine number (the trinity), by four, the number of the earth with its four cardinal points; 12 is therefore the symbol ‘of the union between the divine and the terrestrial world’, which, as we know, embodies the central mystery of Christianity. The number twelve together with stars, the crown of stars, reflects the vision of the Virgin Mary of the Book of Revelation (12:1) and is the symbol par excellence of popular Marian iconography. Lastly, the colours. The colours have their own expressive and symbolic value. The rectangle of the flag is blue, the colour of the sky and the universe. Blue is also traditionally the colour of the European continent. Many parliamentarians referred to this symbolism when the Council of Europe was preparing to adopt the flag. Lastly, blue is the colour of the Virgin.

Mary’s stone is the blue sapphire which, again in the Book of Revelation (21:19), adorns the foundation of the walls of the New Jerusalem; blue is the colour of Mary’s mantle. The European flag — it has been observed — therefore satisfies all the requirements of an ideal emblem: its good symbolism is simple and easy to interpret and is easily recognisable; it is harmonious, original and also simple to produce. It is therefore a perfect flag from a geometric, symbolic and political point of view. Publications Office — Interinstitutional style guide — Annex A1 — Graphics guide to the European emblem Annex A1 Graphics guide to the European emblem Council of Europe • European Commission The European flag 69 31 The European flag is not only the symbol of the European Union but also of Europe’s unity and identity in a wider sense. The circle of gold stars represents solidarity and harmony between the peoples of Europe. The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of Member States. There are 12 stars because the number 12 is traditionally the symbol of perfection, completeness and unity. The flag therefore remains unchanged regardless of EU enlargements.

History of the flag Since its foundation in 1949, the Council of Europe has been aware of the need to give Europe a symbol with which its inhabitants can identify. On 25 October 1955, the Parliamentary Assembly made the unanimous decision to adopt a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background as an emblem. On 8 December 1955, the Committee of Ministers adopted this as the European flag. The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly repeatedly expressed the desire that other European institutions should adopt the same symbol in order to strengthen the idea of solidarity between the different organisations in a united and democratic Europe. It was the European Parliament which took the initiative for a flag to be adopted for the European Community. A draft resolution was presented in 1979, shortly after the first European elections held by universal suffrage. In a resolution adopted in April 1983 the Parliament decreed that the Community’s flag should be that adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955. The European Council, meeting at Fontainebleau in June 1984, stressed the importance of promoting the European image and identity in the eyes of its citizens and the world.

Then, in Milan in June 1985, it gave its approval to the proposal of the Committee on a People’s Europe (Adonnino Committee) that a flag should be adopted by the Community. The Council of Europe agreed to the use, by the Community, of the European flag that it had adopted in 1955 and Community institutions have been using it since the beginning of 1986. Thus the European flag and emblem represent both the Council of Europe and the European Union. It has now become the symbol par excellence of a united Europe and European identity. The Council of Europe and the institutions of the European Union have expressed satisfaction with the growing awareness of the European flag and emblem among European citizens. The European Commission and the Council of Europe are responsible for ensuring that all uses of this symbol respect the dignity of the European flag and emblem, and for taking whatever measures are necessary to prevent misuse. Introduction This graphics guide is intended to help users reproduce the European emblem correctly. It includes instructions on how to create the emblem and a definition of the standard colours. Symbolic description Against the background of blue sky, 12 golden stars form a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe.

The number of stars is fixed, 12 being the symbol of perfection and unity. Heraldic description On an azure field a circle of 12 golden mullets, their points not touching. Geometrical description The emblem is in the form of a blue rectangular flag of which the fly is one and a half times the length of the hoist. Twelve gold stars situated at equal intervals form an invisible circle whose centre is the point of intersection of the diagonals of the rectangle. The radius of the circle is equal to one-third of the height of the hoist. Each of the stars has five points, which are situated on the circumference of an invisible circle whose radius is equal to 1/18th of the height of the hoist. All the stars are upright — that is to say, with the top point vertical and two points in a straight line at right angles to the mast. The circle is arranged so that the stars appear in the position of the hours on the face of a clock. Their number is invariable. Regulation colours The emblem The colours of the emblem are Pantone Reflex Blue for the surface of the rectangle and Pantone Yellow for the stars.

The international Pantone range is very widely available and easily accessible, even for non-professionals. Four-colour process If the four-colour process is used, it is not possible to use the two standard colours. It is therefore necessary to recreate them using the four colours of the four-colour process. Pantone Yellow is obtained by using 100 % ‘Process Yellow’. By mixing 100 % ‘Process Cyan’ with 80 % ‘Process Magenta’ one can get a colour very similar to Pantone Reflex Blue. Internet Pantone Reflex Blue corresponds to the web-palette colour RGB: 0/51/153 (hexadecimal: 003399) and Pantone Yellow corresponds to the web-palette colour RGB: 255/204/0 (hexadecimal: FFCC00). Monochrome reproduction process If only black is available, outline the rectangle in black and print the stars in black on white. If blue is the only colour available, use Reflex Blue at 100 % for the rectangle and leave the stars in white (negative). Reproduction on a coloured background The emblem is preferably reproduced on a white background.

Avoid a background of varied colours, and in any case one which does not go with blue. If there is no alternative to a coloured background, put a white border around the rectangle, with the width of this being equal to 1/25th of the height of the rectangle. Examples of incorrect reproduction 1. The emblem is upside down. 2. The stars are not upright. 3. The stars are wrongly positioned in the circle: they must appear in the position of the hours on the face of a clock. Use by third parties The principles of use of the European emblem by third parties have been set out in an administrative agreement with the Council of Europe. This agreement was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ C 271, 8.9.2012, p. 5).

According to this agreement, any natural or legal person (‘third-party user’) may use the European Emblem or any of its elements, as long as this use (a) does not create the impression or assumption that there is a connection between the third-party user and any of the institutions, bodies, offices, agencies or organs of the European Union or the Council of Europe where this connection does not exist; (b) does not lead the public to believe that the user benefits from the support, sponsorship, approval or consent of any of the institutions, bodies, offices, agencies or organs of the European Union or the Council of Europe where this is not the case; (c) is not made in connection with any objective or activity which is incompatible with the aims and principles of the European Union or the Council of Europe, or is otherwise unlawful. If the use of the European emblem complies with the above conditions, there is no need to ask for written permission. Registration of the European emblem, or a heraldic imitation thereof, as a trade mark or as any other intellectual property right is not acceptable.

Questions related to use of the European emblem can be directed to: European Commission Directorate A.4 — Central IP Service GUIM 5/20 European Union (EU) Flag, Flag of European Union Quiz on national flags Flag of European Union Adopted on December 8, 1955, the flag of European Union (EU) consists of a circle of 12 five pointed golden stars on an azure background. European Union is an international organization based in Brussels. Flag of European Union Disclaimer Close Disclaimer : All efforts have been made to make this image accurate. However Compare Infobase Limited, its directors and employees do not own any responsibility for the correctness or authenticity of the same. Download Picture of European Union (EU) Flag Outline for kids to color The European Union Flag symbolizes the unity and integrity of the countries of European Union.The European Union Flag has a blue background with twelve golden stars arranged at the center in a circular pattern. Each star has five points. Contrary to popular beliefs, the twelve stars on the European Union Flag do not represent the members of the union. The number twelve was adopted because twelve is considered a symbol of perfection. The circle of stars represents the harmony among the people of the Union.

Maryï¿½s Stars on the European Flag Maryï¿½s Stars on the European Flagï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Study No. 226 O n December 8, 1955, on the Catholic ï¿½Feast of The Immaculate Conception of Mary Our Co-redeemer,ï¿½ the European Ministersï¿½ delegates officially adopted the European flag, twelve stars on a blue background, designed by Arsene Heitz, who, today, is an octogenarian artist in Strasbourg. Recently Heitz revealed to a French magazine the reason for his inspiration.

According to the artist, he thought of the twelve stars in a circle on a blue background, exactly the way it is represented in traditional iconography of this image of the Immaculate Conception. A devotee of the Virgin Mary, Heitz never misses praying a daily Rosary. Heitz noticed the words of the Apocalypse, ï¿½And there appeared a great wonder in Heaven; a woman clothed with sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars,ï¿½ Revelation 12:1.ï¿½ As a devout Catholic, he applies this to Mary, whom Catholics worship. The European Unionï¿½s flag consists of twelve stars, inspired by the halo of twelve stars that appear around the Madonna in Catholic pictures of her.ï¿½ And, that is how a profoundly religious symbol came to be the official European Union flag.

A former secretary-general of the Council of Europe, Leon Marchal, affirmed that the stars are those of ï¿½the woman of the Apocalypse.ï¿½ï¿½ Enthusiastically he explained, ï¿½Itï¿½s wonderful that we have gotten back to the Introit of the new Mass of the Assumption.ï¿½ Itï¿½s the corona stellarum duodecim (the crown of the twelve stars) of the woman of the Apocalypse.ï¿½ The Catholic Church has always claimed that she represents the Virgin Mary, ï¿½the mother of God.ï¿½ This means that the European flag is a Catholic flag. The EU, which now has fifteen member countries, has confirmed that the number of stars will always stay at twelve, which indicates that the stars do not represent countries. A leaflet, ï¿½Building Europe Together,ï¿½ given to visitors to EU headquarters in Brussels, says: ï¿½The European flag (is) a shared flag, blue with twelve gold stars symbolizing completeness.

The number will remain twelve no matter how many countries there are in the European Union.ï¿½ The Marian (Mary worship) symbol of twelve stars is on every license plate of the European Union and every banknote in Europe.ï¿½ Vatican-issued Euro coins have the Popeï¿½s image with twelve stars. So important is Mary in Catholic worship, that on September 2, 1958, Archbishop Montini of Milan (the later Pope Pius XII) released on the mountain Serenissima a twenty-meter high statue of Mary and called it ï¿½Our Beloved Lady, Ruler of Europe.ï¿½ Pope Pius XII called Mary ï¿½Mother of all Nationsï¿½ and called on March 3, 1953, for a reunion of nations. Bishop Dr. Graber said on September 9, 1978: ï¿½Iï¿½ve asked for a Marian European International. . .

.ï¿½ We pray and ask in silence that the western world one day will be as it was: a IMPERIUM MARIANUM [Maryï¿½s Imperial Kingdom].ï¿½ The Beast is riding, to be dominated by the woman who rides the Beast, Revelation 17.ï¿½ Read the book, A Woman Rides the Beast:ï¿½ the Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days, by Dave Hunt, 580 pp., B214, $11.00, or the corresponding VHS NTSC 58-minute video, V214, for $20.00.ï¿½ Also, The Papacy, by J.A. Wylie, 95 pp., $9.00.ï¿½ Order from: Giving & Sharing, PO Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849.

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ ï¿½ based on an article by Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi Ω questions_reponses 50th anniversary of the European flag EUROPEAN FLAG – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS What is the European Flag?

Twelve golden stars on a blue background is the flag of Europe. It’s been the symbol of the Council of Europe since 1955, adopted by the European Union (then the European Community) in 1984, and now flies above parliaments, municipal buildings, parks and monuments all over the continent. Who had the first idea for the design? The Council of Europe knew it needed a symbol from its very beginnings in 1949. Ideas for a European flag had been floated since the 1920s: two of the most popular were a large E on a white background from the European movement, and Count Coudenhove Kalergis’ “Pan European Union” flag, a yellow circle with a red cross on a blue background. But it was only when Europe got its first political organisation – the Council of Europe – that serious attempts were made to find a European flag. In 1950, a committee was assigned to study the question. Groups of experts, boards and committees made a lengthy study of over a hundred suggestions from artists, heraldry experts and enthusiastic amateurs from all over the world.

Ideas included 15 green squares on a cream background; a variation of the US stars and stripes; quasi-Olympic circles…even a design using national flags with a tiger motif. In the end, two were chosen. One was from Arsene Heitz, then working at the Council who proposed “a crown of 12 golden stars with 5 rays, their points not touching” and the second was a constellation of stars – originally proposed by the pro-European founder of the College of Europe , Salvador de Madariaga. Who agreed the final design? And what does it mean? The Council of Europe’s main decision making body, the Committee of Ministers, opted for the 12 star flag. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council agreed to it in December 1955 and it was officially unveiled at the Chateau de la Muette in Paris on 13 December 1955. The design symbolises the peoples of Europe, with the circle representing their union. The number of stars never changes – it is always 12: representing perfection and entirety, like the twelve apostles, twelve months of the year, twelve signs of the zodiac.

Many other stories exist about the flag – one is that the star idea came from a European living in Asia who thought of home each time he looked at the evening star, Venus; another is that stars were chosen to avoid using a religious symbol. How come the flag is shared between the Council of Europe and the European Union? The flag caught on following the Universal Exhibition in Brussels in 1958, and when in 1979 a newly elected European Parliament began to look for its own symbol, it became obvious that the 12 star flag was by far the best. The Council of Europe had lobbied for a long time for all other European organisations to adopt it as a gesture of unity: on 28 April 1983 the European Parliament agreed, and the European Council in Milan in June 1985 officially adopted the twelve golden stars as the European Union’s flag. Europe Flag | Europe Blog Europe Flag Europe Flag The Europe flag serves two purposes: it is the official flag of the European Union as well as the emblem for the same. The flag also represents the eurozone or euro countries. The flag is made up of 12 golden stars arranged in a circular fashion against a blue background.

The background signifies the west, whereas the stars represent wholesomeness and the circle shape signifies unity. Contrary to popular belief, the 12 stars of the Europe flag do not represent the number of people in the Council of Europe or European Union but rather stands for every European citizen, and even those not part of the European integration. Two people designed the Europe flag for the Council of Europe in 1955, Paul Levy and Arsene Heitz. The Council of Europe then persuaded other European organizations to use this symbol in all their activities. The Europe flag is 2 by 3 and is a rectangular shape. The width is 1.5 times the height of the flag. 12 gold stars are European Flag arranged in a circular manner at the center of the flag against a blue background and the radius is 1/3rd the height of the flag. The stars are in an upright position. They are also spaced in exactly the same ratio as the space between the 12 numbers in a standard clock. The blue background is actually a mix of reflex blue, magenta and cyan. The Pantone coloring system regulates the colors of the Europe flag.

Like mentioned previously, the stars are 12 in number and do not signify the number of EU states. This is so because the Europe flag has actually been adopted from the Council of Europe, and the EU has no connection with the COE. History of the flag: In 1953, the 15 member team in the Council of Europe decided to have a symbol and it was decided that the symbol would have one star representing every member and this could not change later. However, West Germany objected to this saying that if that were the case, then the Saarland area, which was being disputed, would have its own sovereignty. Ultimately, they decided to go with 12 stars for the Europe flag that does not have any significance to politics but rather represents completeness and perfection. Twelve was chosen because of the many things in European traditions and cultures that had 12 as an important number like the twelve months, the twelve zodiac symbols, the twelve hours, the twelve gods, etc. Europe Flag The European Union Not only does the Europe flag represent the entire European Union, it also is the European Commission’s symbol.

However, every other agency and body has their own emblems though it is based on the colors and design of the Europe flag. The one exception to this is the European Agency for Reconstruction. Based on the rules set by the European Union, all registration plates and driving licenses contain an image of the flag. The Europe flag is also depicted on the banknotes. Apart from the notes, even the coins have the flag’s twelve starts depicted on both the common and national sides. European Flags EUROPA - EuropaGO - Memory game - Find out more Find out more about the European flags European Union and Europe The European flag consists of 12 golden stars in a circle on a blue background. The circle of stars symbolises the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe. The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of EU member countries. The European flag signifies not only the European Union but also Europe in a wider sense. The history of the flag goes back to 1955, when the Council of Europe - defending human rights and promoting European culture – adopted the design for its own use. Over the following years the Council of Europe encouraged the emerging European institutions to embrace the flag as well.

In 1985, it was taken up by EU leaders as the official emblem of the European Union (called the European Communities at the time). Austria From the 13th century onwards, the Austrian flag consisted of a red shield on a horizontal white band. The red-white-red bands appeared for the first time in 1787 on national military insignia. The current flag was adopted as Austria’s national flag in 1918 and as a civic emblem in 1921, and was reintroduced on 1 May 1945, when the German occupation ended. Belgium The Belgian flag, a variant on the French tricolour, evokes the coat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant, which dates from the 12th century: a gilded lion with red claws and red tongue against a black background. When the Brabant Uprising broke out in 1787, the people of Brussels adopted the tricolour rosette in red, gold and black as opposed to the colours of Joseph II (red, white and red). When Belgium became independent in 1830, the current flag was officially adopted, but at the time the bands were placed horizontally.

The following year the government passed a law adopting vertical bands. Bulgaria The three national colours – white, green and red – are linked to those used by the Old Bulgarian Army. The left wing of the army was distinguished by white strips on its spears, the right being marked with red ones. The elite troops, arranged in the middle, had a green strip, which was the traditional colour of the ruler at the time. The three-coloured flag had first been used by the First Bulgarian Legion of Georgi Rakovski (1861) and then confirmed as Bulgaria’s national flag in the Turnovo Constitution (1879). Croatia The Croatian flag consists of three horizontal stripes in red, white and blue. The coat of arms of Croatia is positioned at the centre of the flag. It features a red and white checkerboard which also forms the basis of the eye-catching jerseys of Croatian national sport teams, for example of the national football team. Additionally, the main shield is crowned by five smaller historical shields. The red-white-blue tricolour has been used since the 19th century, originally by revolutionaries in 1848. However, since then, the central emblem has changed several times.

The current flag with the coat of arms in the centre was officially adopted in December 1990. Cyprus The Cypriot flag, which was adopted when Cyprus became independent in 1960, represents the island and two olive branches against a white background, symbolising peace between the Greek and Turkish communities. The yellow of the island is an allusion to copper mined in Cyprus since the third millennium BC. Indeed, the word copper originates from the Greek name for Cyprus: Kypros. Czech Republic Red and white are the traditional colours of Bohemia and feature on coats of arms dating from 1192 (a white lion against a red background). The first Czech red-and-white flag appeared during the First World War and became the first national flag of Czechoslovakia in 1918. Since it featured the colours of Bohemia alone, the blue of Moravia and Slovakia was added in 1920. The same flag was officially adopted as the national emblem of the Czech Republic in 1992. Denmark The Danish flag, or Dannebrog, is probably the oldest in the world.

Legend has it that the flag dates from 1219, when the Danish King Valdemar II, who was leading crusaders into battle, saw a white cross outlined against the dark sky and interpreted this vision as a command from God to attack the Estonians. The red background is believed to represent either the dark sky in which the king saw the cross or the blood spilt during the battle. Estonia The horizontal tricolour in blue, black and white was adopted on 29 September 1881 by the Estonian students’ association Virona. During the 1905 and 1917 revolutions it was adopted by the Estonian people as their national flag, and it became the state emblem when independence was proclaimed on 24 February 1918. It was readopted in 1990, when Estonia regained independence. In Estonian folksongs blue represents the sky, black the earth and white the aspiration to freedom and hope for the future.

According to an alternative interpretation, blue symbolises mutual trust and loyalty, black the Estonians’ presumed ancestors (a people dressed in black and mentioned by Herodotus in his Histories) and white the snow which covers the country for half of the year. Finland From the 12th century until the early 19th century, Finland belonged to Sweden. After gaining its independence in 1917, it adopted a national flag with a Scandinavian cross that was based on the Swedish flag. Finnish sailing clubs had already flown the same flag half a century earlier, when Finland was still under Russian domination. The first person to suggest blue and white as the national colours was the poet Zachris Topelius in 1862. The following year the daily newspaper Helsingfors Dagblad proposed a white flag with a blue cross. Blue stands for the lakes and the sky and white for the snow-covered earth. France The French flag dates back to the French Revolution of 1789. Red, white and blue rosettes were worn by the national guard right from the start of the revolution. White was the colour of the monarchy, while blue and red were the colours of the city of Paris.

And so the tricolour rosette became an emblem of revolutionary patriotism. Red, white and blue were adopted by the French people and were soon to be seen on standards and flags. On 15th February 1794 the tricolour was made the national flag. The flag was designed by the painter David on the orders of the National Convention. Germany The current German flag, which was adopted on 23 May 1949, the day on which the Federal Republic of Germany was established, recalls the flag of the German Federation of 1848 and the flag of the Weimar Republic (1919-33). Black, red and gold are the historical colours of Germany found on the uniforms worn by Baron von Lützow's Freikorps during the Napoleonic Wars and on the flags of Prussia. They are also the colours of the Holy Roman Empire: black represents the eagle, red its beak and talons, and gold the gilded shield. Greece When the government adopted the flags of the Greek army and navy in 1822, they all bore the same white cross, a symbol of Christian faith.

Blue and white were chosen officially as emblems during the war for independence. Blue represents the sky and the sea and white the purity of the freedom fighters. The nine horizontal bands refer to the nine syllables of the Greek phrase: Eleftheria i Thanatos (Freedom or Death). The flag was reintroduced in 1978. Hungary As early as the 17th century, red, white and green were an important motif at coronation ceremonies. In the 1830s patriotic citizens began to wear these colours, and during the 1848 revolution the tricolour was adopted as the national flag. It was officially reintroduced in 1957. The colours are those of Hungary’s coat of arms: red shield, white bands, patriarchal cross and three green hills. Ireland The Irish tricolour, which was adopted in 1830, is based on the French flag. The disposition of the colours (green, white and orange) was altered several times and a final decision was not taken until the 1920s. The flag was formally adopted in 1937.

Green stands for the predominantly Irish nationalist movement and orange (the colour of the House of Orange) for the Protestant community. White, in the middle, symbolises peace between the two communities. Italy This was originally the flag of the Cisalpine Republic founded by Napoleon. It was influenced by the French tricolour and used from 1798 to 1802. It was reintroduced in 1848 by the King of Sardinia, who added the coat of arms of the House of Savoy to the white band, and became the flag of the entire Kingdom of Italy in 1861. When the monarchy fell in 1946, the coat of arms was removed. Latvia The red-white-red banner was first used by the Latvian people in 1279. In 1917 Latvian artists decided to change the red to crimson and to make the white band narrower. Banned during the Soviet occupation, the flag was recognised as a civic emblem in 1988 and became the national flag once again in 1990. Lithuania In 1918 the Council of Lithuania appointed a special committee to design the national flag.

On 19 April of that year a horizontal tricolour in the colours of traditional Lithuanian dress was approved. Yellow represents the sun, the source of light, while green stands for nature and life. Red is the colour of love and the blood spilt in defence of the country. The Lithuanian flag was readopted in 1989. Luxembourg The colours of the Luxembourg flag are those of the Luxembourg coat of arms. Inspired by the French flag after the revolution, it has slightly different proportions to the Dutch flag and a lighter shade of blue. Although it has been used as a national emblem since the 16th century, it did not become the official flag until 1972. Malta The two colours of the flag are those of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. The George Cross was added in 1942, when King George VI of England awarded it to the islanders in recognition of their heroic wartime resistance. The cross bears the inscription “For Gallantry”. The flag was not officially adopted as a national emblem until 1964, when Malta proclaimed its independence. Netherlands The Dutch flag dates back to 1579, when the Netherlands proclaimed its independence.

At the time it was orange, white and blue, the colours of William of Orange. Orange was replaced by red during the 17th century but it remains the national colour and, the national flag is always accompanied by an orange banner on official holidays or diplomatic visits abroad. The flag was officially adopted in 1796 and confirmed as the national emblem in 1937. It has slightly different proportions to the Luxembourg flag and a darker shade of blue. Poland The Polish flag consists of two horizontal stripes, the upper one white and the lower one red. These two colours are the national colours of Poland. White represents a white eagle, which has been a symbol of Poland since the 13th century. In conjunction with a red background, it featured on many Polish banners, flags and coats of arms in the past. The white-and-red bicolour flag was officially adopted as the national emblem in 1919, one year after Poland proclaimed its independence. Portugal In 1910, when the republic was established, the royal white-and-blue flag was replaced by today’s green-and-red flag. Red stands for the revolution and green for hope.

The Portuguese coat of arms is superimposed on a sphere symbolising the major discoveries of Portuguese navigators. The flag was officially adopted in 1911. Romania Although the three colours, so dear to the Romanians, date back to the time of Michael the Brave (1593-1601), the three-coloured flag is quite recent. It appeared for the first time in the first half of the 19th century and was officially adopted as the Romanian national flag on 1859, when Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected as sole prince, reuniting the two provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia. Slovakia The horizontal white-blue-red tricolour of Slovakia appeared for the first time in 1848, but without the shield. The shield, representing three blue mountains and a patriarchal white cross against a red background, was not added to the flag until 1992, when Slovakia became independent. Slovenia The Slovenian flag, also bearing a white-blue-red tricolour, was first used by Slovenian patriots in 1848. In 1991 Slovenia's new coat of arms was added to the flag.

It represents the Triglav, the highest peak in the Slovenian Alps. The three yellow stars against a blue background are from the arms of the former duchy of Celje. The small waves symbolise Slovenia's rivers and the Adriatic. Spain Red and gold were chosen as the national emblem in 1785, but the present Spanish flag was not adopted until 1981. The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Spain consists of a shield bearing the arms of the former kingdoms of Castilla (a castle), León (a lion rampant), Aragón (four vertical red bands against a golden background) and Navarra (a gold chain against a red background), with a pomegranate, the symbol of the kingdom of Granada, at the bottom. The pillars of Hercules, representing the Straits of Gibraltar, were added by Charles V to evoke the overseas expansion of his empire. The pillar bearing the word plus is topped by an imperial crown; the other pillar is topped by a royal crown. The present arms of the State are those of the Spanish monarchy, symbolised by the emblem of the Bourbon monarchy, which was restored in 1975: three golden lilies against a blue background.

Sweden Although the Swedish flag dates back to the 16th century, its current colours and proportions were adopted in 1982. By royal decree of 1569, King Johan III ordered that all vessels of the Swedish navy should fly the golden cross. The flag, based on the Danish Dannebrog, bears the colours of the Swedish coat of arms, which dates from the 14th century and consists of three golden crowns against a sky-blue background. United Kingdom The current flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Flag or Union Jack, is a combination of the crosses of : - Saint George

Question: How many golden stars appear in the circle on the blue background of the flag of the European Union?
Answer: 12