St. Andrew's flag
“God and St. Andrew’s flag are with us!” - with these words in the fleet of the Russian Empire, ship commanders addressed their crews before the battle.
St. Andrew's flag is the main ship's stern flag of the Russian fleet. It is a white panel crossed diagonally by two blue stripes, which form an inclined cross, called St. Andrew's. This cross gave the name to the flag.
St. Andrew's cross- an oblique cross symbolizing the crucifixion of St. Andrew the First-Called. It is a common symbol and is used on the flags and symbols of several countries and territories.
Who was Andrew the First-Called, whose name is so gloriously immortalized throughout the world?
Andrew the First-Called
Apostle Andrew, known as the apostle Andrew the First-Called,- one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, brother of the Apostle Peter. It is mentioned in the books of the New Testament.
Like Peter, Andrei was a simple fisherman. He was born in the city of Bethsaida, on the shores of Lake Galilee.
Francisco de Zurbaran "St. Andrew the Apostle"
At first, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, but when Christ called him, he was the first to follow Him, which is why he was called the First Called. Until the last day of the Savior’s earthly journey, his First-Called Apostle followed Him, and he was also a witness to the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ.
The reason why the St. Andrew's Cross is present on the flags of many countries is that the Apostle Andrew visited many countries preaching about Christ. And those countries where he visited consider him their patron. On the day of Pentecost (50 days after the Resurrection of Christ), the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire. This is how they received the gift of healing, prophecy, and the ability to speak in different languages. The 12 apostles divided among themselves the countries where they were supposed to convert pagans to Christianity. Saint Andrew was given lands by lot Bithynia(Asia Minor), Propontids(region of Turkey), Thrace(modern region of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey), Macedonia in the Balkans , Scythia, Thessaly(coast of the Aegean Sea), Hellas(Greece), Achaia(Southern Balkans), many individual cities. But the first field of his apostolic ministry was Black Sea coast.
Almost everywhere the authorities met him with cruel persecution. He suffered especially much torment in the city of Sinope, where he was subjected to cruel torture by the pagans. But Saint Andrew again turned out to be healthy and unharmed from his wounds.
According to medieval legend, the Apostle Andrew visited the territory of Rus', and therefore is its patron saint. In Kyiv, he left his pectoral cross, after which he visited Novgorod and Volkhov, located nearby.
He also visited modern Abkhazia, Alania And Adygea, and then arrived in the city of Byzantium and was the first to preach the teachings of Christ there. Here he founded the Christian Church.
Andrew the First-Called suffered martyrdom on an oblique cross in Patras (Greece), this cross has since been called St. Andrew's cross. This happened in the 70s of the 1st century.
Martyrdom of St. Andrew the First-Called
The last years of the apostle’s life passed in the city of Patras. Here he preached and gathered a large Christian community around him. In Patras he performed many miracles: healing by laying on of hands, raising the dead. Ruler Aegeat ordered the execution of Andrew the First-Called by crucifying him on the cross. But the apostle considered himself unworthy to die on the same cross as Jesus Christ, so they chose an oblique cross for execution. Ruler Egeat ordered that he not be nailed to the cross, but tied by his arms and legs in order to prolong the torment. For two days the apostle preached from the cross. The people listening to him demanded to stop the execution, and the ruler, fearing popular unrest, ordered the apostle to be removed from the cross. But Andrew the First-Called wanted to accept death in the name of Christ, so the soldiers could not untie the ropes. His life reports that when the holy apostle died, the cross was illuminated with a bright radiance. According to legend, at the site of the crucifixion of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, a spring gushed out.
Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called in Patras (Greece)
At the same place in Patras, the majestic Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called, the largest in Greece, was erected.
About flags using the St. Andrew's Cross
St. Andrew's cross is a common symbol depicted on the flags of many states and administrative units.
Flag of Scotland
This is a flag Alabama(one of the US states), flag Katwijk(communities in the Netherlands), flag Scotland(Andrew the First-Called is considered her patron), flag Tenerife(spanish island), flag Jamaica, flag Potchefstroom(provinces of South Africa), three St. Andrew's crosses are located on the flag and coat of arms Amsterdam. And about 20 more flags of different countries bear the St. Andrew’s Cross.
Flag of the Russian Navy
St. Andrew's flag is the main ship's stern flag of the Russian fleet. It is a white panel crossed diagonally by two blue stripes, which form an inclined St. Andrew's cross.
Flag of the Russian Navy
In 1698 Peter I established the first order in Russia (the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle) to reward military exploits and public service.
The order consisted of a gold cross, a blue ribbon, a silver eight-pointed star and a gold chain. In the center of the star, in a rosette covered with red enamel and gold stripes, is a double-headed eagle, crowned with three crowns; on the eagle’s chest is an oblique blue cross.
Badge on the order chain and star of the order
The symbolism of the St. Andrew's flag was a tribute to the memory of Peter I to his father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who first established a special flag for the first Russian military vessel - the three-masted galliot "Eagle".
Peter I personally worked on the design of the flag of the Russian Navy and drew several options. Peter I himself described the eighth (last) version of the flag as follows: “The flag is white, across it there is a blue St. Andrew’s Cross, with which he christened Russia”. In this form, the St. Andrew's flag existed in the Russian Navy until November 1917.
On January 17, 1992, the Russian government adopted a resolution to return the St. Andrew's flag to the status of the Russian Naval flag. On February 15, 1992, the St. Andrew's flag was consecrated in St. Petersburg in the St. Nicholas Cathedral.
The guis (bow flag of a ship or vessel) of the navy also bears the St. Andrew's Cross. Both flags (hull and stern) were replaced in 1918 by the flag of the RSFSR, and then by the newly created huys and naval flag of the USSR.
Guys of the Russian Navy
The official banner of the Russian Navy is based on the flag of the Russian Navy, it was approved by Federal Law No. 162 of December 29, 2000.
White and blue symbol of honor of Russian sailors
On December 11, Russia celebrates the Day of the St. Andrew’s Flag, given to the fleet by the first Russian Emperor Peter the Great / Cycle “Our Victories”
Ask any Russian naval sailor what the two most important colors are associated with the navy, and you will hear the answer: blue and white. And it’s completely natural. These are the colors of one of the most famous naval flags in the world - the Russian St. Andrew's flag. Also in
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On December 11*, a holiday is celebrated in Russia in his honor: on this day in 1699, Peter the Great approved the famous oblique blue cross on a white background as a symbol of the Russian navy. The ships of the Russian Imperial Navy sailed under the St. Andrew's flag for more than two centuries: from 1699 to 1924. This banner overshadowed the most famous naval battles that made the glory of Russian sailors: Gogland and Gangut, Sinop and Chesme, Chios and Tsushima. Under this flag, the battleship "Azov" and the brig "Mercury", the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets", the sailing ship "Eagle" and the destroyer "Steregushchiy" went into battle, without caring about the number of enemy ships. A blue oblique cross on a white background overshadowed the shores of Antarctica, brought there by the sloops Vostok and Mirny, and traveled around the globe on the frigate Pallada and the corvette Vityaz. And it has always remained a symbol of the selfless service of Russian sailors to the Motherland.
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The cross that overshadowed the Russian fleet
There is a beautiful legend about how exactly the first Russian Emperor Peter Alekseevich came up with the design of St. Andrew's flag. Allegedly, after staying up late working on sketches of a naval flag for the nascent Russian fleet, the tsar dozed off right at the table. And when he woke up in the morning, he suddenly saw an oblique blue cross falling on a white sheet in front of his face. This is how the sunlight that passed through the colored stained glass window on the window of the royal office was refracted in a whimsical way and fell onto the paper...
Alas, in reality all this could hardly have happened exactly this way. The first sketch, on which the oblique St. Andrew's cross appeared, was drawn in 1692 at the same time as another - the classic white-blue-red one. Against the background of the same tricolor, the sovereign also depicted an oblique blue cross for the first time, which could hardly have been the result of a successful play of light and shadow.
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The St. Andrew's flag finally established itself as the main naval flag of Russia in 1712, when Peter I signed the highest decree on its widespread use: “the flag is white, through which the blue cross of St. Andrei for the sake of this, that Russia received holy baptism from this apostle.”
There is another reason why Peter the Great chose the St. Andrew's Cross as a symbol of the Russian navy. In 1703, the Russians occupied the island of Kotlin, and thus the cherished dream of the first Russian emperor came true - access to the Baltic Sea. It became the fourth sea for Russia, on which the empire established its rule: together with the Caspian, Azov and White. And thus, the four-pointed St. Andrew's Cross received a completely new meaning for Russia.
Die at the flag post
“All Russian military ships must not lower their flags, pennants and topsails to anyone, under the penalty of deprivation of life,” says the “Naval Charter on everything related to good governance when the fleet is at sea,” written by Peter I in his own hand. This requirement is was strictly observed in the Russian fleet, and there was no dishonor worse for Russian sailors than lowering the flag in the face of the enemy.
So that no one could decide on such madness alone, the stern St. Andrew's flag - and it was and is considered the main one on the ships of the Russian fleet - was always guarded by an armed sentry. Suffice it to say that the same strict security was provided on sailing ships only in the cruise chamber, that is, the ship's storage of gunpowder and cannonballs.
The book by Russian naval historian Nikolai Manvelov, “Customs and Traditions of the Russian Imperial Navy,” provides several amazing facts about how the sailors guarding the flag did not leave their posts until the arrival of a new sentry, even after severe wounds. For example, the author writes, “during the battle near Port Arthur on January 27, 1904, Nikifor Pecheritsa, a sentry at the stern flag of the armored cruiser Bayan, received shrapnel wounds in both legs, but did not leave his post. They replaced him only after the battle - the officers noticed that the non-commissioned officer was standing in an extremely unnatural position. One of the last to leave his ship in the Korean port of Chemulpo (modern Icheon) was the sentry at the banner of the cruiser "Varyag". The boatswain, Pyotr Olenin, was not relieved throughout the entire battle and miraculously did not die - shrapnel cut his Dutchman and trousers, broke the butt of his rifle and tore his boot. At the same time, the non-commissioned officer himself received only a slight wound in the leg. The sentry at the flag on the main mast of the armored cruiser "Russia" in the battle with Japanese ships in the Korea Strait on August 1, 1904, temporarily left his post only at the request of the cruiser's senior officer. By that time, he had been repeatedly wounded and was bleeding. It’s not hard to guess that he returned to his place immediately after the dressing.”
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And it must be admitted that what kept the Russian sailors from the idea of lowering the flag in front of the enemy was not the “fine of deprivation of the belly,” but the firm conviction that this act could not be justified. It is not without reason that in the entire history of the Russian fleet, only two cases are known when ships nevertheless decided to lower the flag - but, surprisingly, none of the officers and sailors were punished with death for this. Probably because living with the stigma of an oathbreaker and a coward was a much greater punishment than losing one’s life.
“So that in the future there will be no more cowards for the Russian fleet”
The first incident occurred in May 1829, when the commander of the frigate "Raphael", captain II rank Semyon Stroynikov, in order to save his crew from imminent death, lowered the St. Andrew's flag in front of the outnumbered Turkish squadron. The captured ship became part of the Turkish fleet and 24 years later, during the Battle of Sinop, was burned by a Russian squadron - as required by the royal decree, which forever deleted the name “Raphael” from the list of ships of the Russian fleet. And the dishonored crew was captured and after the end of the war returned to their homeland, where they were almost in full strength - from the captain to the last bilge officer, with the exception of one midshipman who objected to the commander! - was demoted to sailor. In addition, Emperor Nicholas I, by his personal decree, forbade the former commander of the frigate to marry, “so as not to produce cowards for the Russian fleet in the future.” True, this measure was late: by that time Stroynikov already had two sons - Nikolai and Alexander, and their father’s shame did not prevent them from becoming naval officers and rising to the rank of rear admirals.
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Two saints on one flag
On June 5 (17), 1819, by imperial decree of Alexander I, the St. Andrew's flag was approved, where a red heraldic shield with the canonical image of St. George the Victorious was depicted on top of the St. Andrew's cross. This is how the symbols of two saints, especially revered in Russia, appeared on one flag: St. George and St. Apostle Andrew.
The second case of lowering the St. Andrew's flag was recorded already during the reign of the last autocrat of the All-Russian Nicholas II. On the second day of the Battle of Tsushima, five ships of the Russian fleet decided to commit dishonor in order to save the lives of 2,280 Russian sailors. As the author of the book “Customs and Traditions of the Russian Imperial Navy” writes, then “two squadron battleships, two coastal defense battleships and a destroyer surrendered to the Japanese fleet under the command of Admiral Heihachiro Togo, on board which was the seriously wounded commander of the 2nd squadron of the Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral Zinovy Rozhdestvensky. To the surprise of contemporaries, the admirals of the surrendered warships were treated very leniently. The commander of the 3rd combat detachment of the squadron, Rear Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov, was first deprived of ranks and awards, and then, in 1906, sentenced to death, which was immediately replaced by 10 years of imprisonment in a fortress. However, he served only 3 years and was released early. The fleet, however, did not forgive him for lowering the flag - Nebogatov’s son, who was studying in the Naval Cadet Corps, was so obstructed that he had to leave the corps and abandon all hopes of becoming a naval officer.” The same replacement of the death penalty with a ten-year imprisonment in the fortress awaited the commanders of the ships that surrendered with Nebogatov.
Return of a Legend
The fact that in the entire two-century-plus history of the Russian navy, the St. Andrew’s flag was lowered in the face of the enemy only twice, and there are examples when our sailors raised the signal “I’m dying, but I’m not surrendering!” and stood until the end, there was much more, it says a lot. First of all, about the pride with which Russian sailors bore their rank and their blue-and-white symbol. And they carried it to the last: after Russia became Soviet, the St. Andrew’s flag continued to flutter over Russian ships, which their crews managed to take from Sevastopol to distant Bizerte. Only there and only after France recognized Soviet Russia in 1924 and refused to recognize the flags of the Russian Empire, did the sailors lower the legendary flags with tears in their eyes.
But Andreev’s colors have not gone away! On the first flag of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Fleet, only St. Andrew's Cross was present - albeit on a red background and adjacent to a red star. But when a new naval flag was approved in 1935, its main colors were returned: a white cloth with a wide blue stripe. Having abandoned all the symbols of the “rotten autocracy,” the Bolsheviks still did not dare to encroach on the symbol of the Russian fleet.
And the fleet responded to this decision with dignity. Under the Soviet naval flag, Russian sailors gained no less glory than under Andreevsky, honorably continuing the work of their predecessors and without disgracing their honor. When the country ceased to be Soviet, one of the first decisions of the All-Army Officers' Meeting on January 17, 1992 was a petition to replace the naval flag of the USSR with the naval flag of Russia - St. Andrew's. On the same day, the Russian government adopted a resolution to return the status of the St. Andrew's flag. The presidential decree on the approval of new flags of the country, including the naval one, was signed on July 21, 1992.
* The decree was signed by Peter on December 1, 1699 according to the old style. Due to discrepancies in dates in some sources, December 10 is considered St. Andrew's Flag Day.
St. Andrew's flag is a historical symbol of the Russian Navy. As you know, it is a white cloth with a St. Andrew's cross - two diagonal blue stripes forming an inclined cross. Back in 1699, Peter I approved the St. Andrew's flag as the banner of the Russian fleet. Why did he decide to choose this particular symbol?
Apostle Andrew the First-Called, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, was, according to legend, crucified on an oblique cross. The Apostle Andrew went to preach in a number of countries that fell to him by lot. Andrew the First-Called preached in Bithynia, Pontus, Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Hellas, Achaia and Scythia. He became the first preacher of Christianity on the Black Sea coast, and sailors and fishermen listened to him.
The authorities greeted him very unfriendly, and in Sinop he was subjected to severe torture. It is believed that the apostle visited the territory of modern Abkhazia, Adygea and Ossetia, and then returned to Byzantium, where he also continued his preaching and founded the Church. Then Andrew the First-Called was captured and died in the city of Patras, in Greece. The oblique cross, which became the instrument for the execution of St. Andrew the First-Called, was nicknamed St. Andrew's in memory of the apostle. At the place where Andrew was crucified, a spring began to flow. Now in Patras there is a very beautiful Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called, dedicated to the apostle.
The birth of the flag with an oblique cross is associated with events of later centuries. In 832 the Scots and Picts of Scotland fought the English. King Angus II made a vow that if his army of Scots and Picts were victorious, he would declare the Apostle Andrew the First-Called the patron saint of Scotland. And indeed, the victory over the Angles was won, which convinced the Scots and Picts that Andrew the First-Called himself helped them. The flag of Scotland is a white cross on a blue cloth.
When the personal union of England and Scotland was concluded in 1606, the diagonal cross became a component of the flag of the united state. It is present on the national flag of Great Britain if we look closely, and currently.
Did this flag influence Peter I? Most likely, because England by that time was already a serious naval power, one of the strongest in the world. On the other hand, Andrew the First-Called was also considered the patron saint of Rus'. There was a legend that he allegedly traveled through the lands where the Russian state later appeared, and preached the teachings of Christ here. Of course, this is just a legend. After all, the Ancient Code of 1039 and the Initial Code of 1095, “Reading about Boris and Gleb,” state that the apostles of Jesus Christ did not go to Rus'. However, since the 11th century, Apostle Andrew the First-Called was considered the patron saint of the Russian land. Therefore, Peter’s choice was completely justified and, moreover, very accurate.
Peter I perfectly understood the importance of symbols for strengthening the unity of the state, for raising the morale of the army and navy. But such symbols were required that would make any Russian person revere them. The symbols associated with saints were best suited for this role. Andrew the First-Called was one of the most revered Christian saints in Rus', and Peter understood this very well when in 1699 he adopted a flag with a blue oblique cross on a white cloth as the flag of the Russian fleet.
It is known that the emperor, who paid great attention to the construction and strengthening of the fleet, personally worked on the sketch of the new flag. He tried at least eight options. They tried to use them as sea flags, until in 1710 the sovereign chose the final version - that very white flag with a blue oblique cross. However, only the Ship Charter of 1720 determined the exact characteristics of the flag - “ The flag is white, across it there is a blue St. Andrew's cross, with which he christened Russia».
Already in the 18th century, the St. Andrew's flag was covered with the glory of naval battles in which ships of the Russian fleet took part under it. Numerous Russian-Turkish wars, expeditions to distant countries - all this took place for the fleet under the St. Andrew's flag. Naturally, the veneration of St. Andrew’s flag has become a real tradition among sailors. It turned into the main shrine of the Russian military sailor, his pride.
Usually the St. Andrew's flag, raised over ships, was a four-meter cloth. This size was not accidental - a large banner in the wind made a noise that frightened the enemy and was a kind of psychological weapon. One can imagine how St. Andrew’s banners of the Russian squadrons, which included a large number of ships, “roared”! Indeed, it was no wonder that the enemy was afraid of such a terrifying roar.
As the Russian fleet developed and participated in more and more wars, in 1819 the St. George Admiral's flag was adopted, which was the same St. Andrew's flag, in the center of which there was a red heraldic shield, and on it - the image of St. George the Victorious, also considered one of the patrons of the warriors of the Russian Land. It was considered a great honor for the ship's crew to receive such a flag. It was awarded for special military merits, for example, for the courage shown in defending St. Andrew’s flag during a naval battle.
By the way, the St. Andrew's flag, as a shrine of the fleet, was supposed to be defended not for life, but for death. The sailors died, but refused to lower the sacred symbol of the Russian fleet. Only twice in history have Russian ships voluntarily lowered the St. Andrew's flag. The first time was on May 11, 1829. During the next Russian-Turkish war, the frigate "Raphael", commanded by captain 2nd rank Semyon Stroynikov, collided with a Turkish squadron of 15 ships. The captain did not want his sailors and officers to die, so he decided to lower the flag and surrender the ship.
Emperor Nicholas I was very jealous of military glory. Therefore, when it became known about an act shameful for the fleet, the frigate “Raphael” was ordered to be burned if it were suddenly captured by Russian sailors. Captain 2nd rank Semyon Stroynikov was demoted to ordinary sailors and deprived of awards and titles. The Emperor forbade Semyon Stroynikov to marry so that he would not give Russia “the offspring of a coward.” True, by that time Semyon Stroynikov was already the father of two sons. And they, interestingly, not only entered the naval service, but both rose to the rank of rear admiral.
As for the frigate "Raphael", it really suffered the fate prescribed by Emperor Nicholas I. 24 years after its surrender to the Turks, during the Battle of Sinop, the frigate was burned. The emperor's order was carried out by the famous admiral Pavel Nakhimov. The name "Raphael" was banned from being given to ships of the Russian fleet forever.
The second sad story happened during the Battle of Tsushima. Then the Second Pacific Squadron, faced with superior forces of the Japanese fleet, was forced to capitulate. Rear Admiral Nikolai Ivanovich Nebogatov, who served as the junior flagship of the squadron and replaced the wounded commander Vice Admiral Rozhestvensky, decided to surrender. He also hoped to save the lives of the remaining officers and sailors. St. Andrew's flags were lowered on ships that surrendered to the Japanese.
Rear Admiral Nebogatov, who decided to surrender the squadron, managed to save the lives of 2,280 Russian sailors - officers, conductors and sailors. These were all living people – someone’s fathers, brothers, sons. But such a peculiar act of the admiral was not appreciated by the staff commanders in St. Petersburg and the authorities of the Russian Empire, who considered concern for preserving the lives of their subordinates to be banal cowardice. When, after the Treaty of Portsmouth, Rear Admiral Nebogatov was released from captivity and returned to Russia, he was stripped of his ranks, put on trial and sentenced to death in December 1906. But by a higher decree, the rear admiral’s sentence was replaced by ten years’ imprisonment in a fortress, and after another 25 months he was released, having received a pardon.
But there was a third case in the history of the Russian fleet when St. Andrew’s flags were lowered on Russian ships. In 1917, the St. Andrew's flag ceased to be the flag of the Russian fleet, and in 1924 it was voluntarily lowered on the ships of the Russian squadron in the port of Bizerte on the African coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This was due to the fact that France, which then owned the port of Bizerte, officially recognized the Soviet Union and, therefore, Russian ships were simply forced to obey the orders of the French colonial authorities.
One very interesting story is connected with the revolutionary events and St. Andrew's flag. In 1920, the minesweeper "Kitoboy", commanded by Estonian lieutenant Oskar Fersman, left Estonia, fearing capture by the Bolsheviks. The minesweeper commander ordered to raise the St. Andrew's flag, after which he headed through Europe towards the Crimea, intending to join the troops of Baron Wrangel.
However, when the ship arrived in Copenhagen on February 27, where the British squadron was located, its command ordered Fersman to lower the St. Andrew's flag. The commander of the British squadron emphasized that London no longer recognizes the St. Andrew's flag. But Lieutenant Fersman refused to obey the orders of the British, emphasizing that he was ready to engage in an unequal battle, although his ship had only two cannons.
It is likely that this controversial situation would have been resolved by armed conflict and the death of Russian sailors in an unequal clash with the English squadron, but Empress Maria Feodorovna intervened, who, by a lucky coincidence, was in Copenhagen at that moment. She turned to the British leadership and achieved not only further passage for the ship, but also its supply of coal and food. As a result, the “Whaler” nevertheless reached Sevastopol, and then, with the rest of Wrangel’s squadron, retreated to Bizerte. This was one of the last battles of the sailors of the old Russian fleet for the St. Andrew's flag, which was sacred to them.
In the Soviet Union, a completely different flag was adopted for the Navy, built on the basis of traditional Soviet symbols - a sickle, a hammer, a red star. In the history of the use of the St. Andrew's flag, there was a delay of more than seventy years, overshadowed by very unseemly events. During the Great Patriotic War, the St. Andrew's flag began to be used as a symbol by the “Russian Liberation Army” of General Andrei Vlasov, who fought against the Soviet Union on the side of Nazi Germany. St. Andrew's flag was depicted on the chevrons of the ROA military uniform, and the traitors who wore it on their arms committed crimes against their own people, serving the Fuhrer - the bloody executioner of the Russian land. However, even after the war, knowledgeable people understood perfectly well that the Vlasovism could not overshadow the centuries-old history of the St. Andrew's flag as a symbol of the heroic Russian fleet.
In January 1992, the government of sovereign Russia decided to revive the St. Andrew's flag as a symbol of the Navy of the Russian Federation. Thus, tribute was paid to the centuries-old traditions of the Russian fleet. On July 26, 1992, the flags of the USSR Navy were raised for the last time on ships of the Russian fleet, after which the anthem of the Soviet Union was played, to the sounds of which they were lowered and instead St. Andrew's flags were raised to the anthem of the Russian Federation. Since that time, the St. Andrew's flag has been the official flag of the Navy of the Russian Federation and is flown on all ships and vessels that are part of it. Symbols with the St. Andrew's flag are used in the uniform of the personnel of the Russian Navy.
With all due respect to the flag of the USSR Navy and the heroic exploits that Soviet sailors performed under it during the Great Patriotic War, in military campaigns and operations of the post-war period, one cannot but agree that the return of the St. Andrew's flag as a symbol of the Russian fleet was a real revival of traditions, and today Russian sailors again value and love the St. Andrew’s flag and remain faithful to it. As Russian captains said when their ships entered battle, “ God and St. Andrew's flag are with us!»
St. Andrew's flag is a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 1 to 1.5. On a white background there are two diagonal blue stripes that form an oblique cross. The width of the stripes is 10 times less than the length of the flag.
Origin of symbolism
The name is associated with the name of Andrew the First-Called, who was the first of the apostles to follow Christ and accompanied him on all his earthly wanderings. He was present at the Ascension of Christ, and on the day of Pentecost he received by lot the lands of the Black Sea region and the Balkans as an inheritance for preaching. The Apostle visited Abkhazia, Alania and Adygea, after which he visited Byzantium. The places of his fiery sermons were Greece and Macedonia, Bithynia and Scythia. The Apostle Andrew ended his earthly journey in the Greek city of Patras. He chose the shape of the cross for the crucifixion in the form of the letter “X” himself, considering that he was not worthy of crucifixion on a cross of the same shape as Christ.
Crucifixion of St. Andrew the First-Called
According to legend, Andrew the First-Called visited Russia, reaching Novgorod, so he is considered the special patron saint of our country.
Story
The history of the flag goes back more than 1000 years. In 832, an army consisting of Scots and Picts defeated the Angles, and then King Angus II proclaimed Andrew the First-Called the patron saint of Scotland. Before the battle, the clouds in the sky united into an oblique cross. But this is a legend, and the first reliable evidence of the use of an oblique cross is found on the seal of the Scots Guards and dates back to 1286. In 1606, the union of England and Scotland was formed with the accession of the Scottish King Jacob IV to the English throne. The Union Jack became the flag of the union state, combining two crosses - the straight English cross and the Scottish oblique.
It can be found on the flags of many countries that were part of the British Empire before its collapse in the twentieth century. Many city flags also include a cross.
The history of the St. Andrew's flag as the naval flag of Russia begins in the era of Peter I. He personally worked on its creation and tried many options. A drawing by Peter has been preserved, in which the tricolor crossed the St. Andrew's cross. According to legend, he fell asleep while working, and when he woke up he saw that the sun's rays, refracting on the mica window, formed a blue cross.
Peter I approved the St. Andrew's flag as the naval flag of Russia. This happened on December 11, 1699.
Since then, the cross banner has become a symbol and witness of Russia's naval victories. The traditional parting word before the battle was: “God and St. Andrew’s flag are with us.”
In its entire history, it was lowered in front of the enemy only twice. The first time this happened was at the end of the Russian-Turkish war. In 1829, the commander of the frigate Rafail, which was surrounded, Stroynikov lowered it, wanting to save the lives of hundreds of sailors. The name of the frigate was henceforth covered in shame, and the officers were demoted. The war was coming to an end, the battle did not decide anything, so Smolnikov violated the order, which ordered, if there was a threat of death, to approach the enemy ship and blow up the frigate. Nicholas I ordered the ship to be blown up, which is what Admiral Nakhimov did during the Battle of Sinop.
The second incident occurred during the Battle of Tsushima. On the second day of the tragic naval battle for Russia, the five remaining Russian ships were surrounded by more than 20 Japanese ships, and then Rear Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov gave the order to lower the flags. The lives of more than two thousand sailors were saved, but the tribunal sentenced Nebogatov to death, which was later replaced by 10 years of imprisonment in the fortress.
These two cases were the only ones in more than two centuries of use of the St. Andrew's flag in the Russian navy. Sailors sacredly honored the honor of the flag, neglecting their lives, and disrespect shown to the flag was considered a grave insult and sometimes almost led to wars.
So in 1910, the Russian-Austrian war almost broke out due to the fact that the Austrians did not respond to the salute given by the Russian squadron that arrived in the Hungarian port of Fiume. The Austrians insulted the flag twice: first, when the ships entered the port, the guns in the fortress were silent, and then the Austro-Hungarian squadron, which soon approached the same port, did not respond to the greeting from the traditional 21 salvo. Commander Nikolai Mankovsky demanded that the Austrians give a salute at 8 o'clock in the morning when the flags were raised by Russian sailors, threatening to lock the Austrian squadron ten times stronger in the port. The Austrians fired a salute the next morning
St. Andrew's flag in modern history
After the revolution, the cross banner continued to fly on the ships of the White Guards until October 1924, when in the North African port of Bizerte the flags were lowered after France recognized Soviet Russia.
Until 1932, the St. Andrew's cross was present on the guy (nose flag) of Soviet warships.
The St. Andrew's flag returned by Yeltsin's decree of July 21, 1992. Since 2000, it has become the official flag of the Russian Navy.
On December 11, 1699, Emperor Peter the Great established the St. Andrew's flag as the main banner of the Russian navy. A white cloth with blue lines crossed out diagonally was considered until 1917 and is now considered the main symbol of honor and courage of Russian military sailors. "RG" has collected little-known facts from more than three centuries of history of the St. Andrew's flag.
Origin
The name of the flag itself refers to Christian origins. According to legend, the first disciple of Jesus Christ, Andrew the First-Called, considered the patron saint of Russia, was crucified on a diagonal cross. Peter the Great, who personally worked on the flag designs, drew two versions of the naval banner. One had three parallel stripes with the inscription of flowers, the second had a St. Andrew's cross against a background of three horizontal stripes of white, blue and red. According to legend, while thinking about the flag, the emperor dozed off. He woke up from the sun shining through the window and saw rays on a blank sheet of paper, refracted through mica in the form of two blue intersecting lines. Seeing this as an instruction from above, Peter immediately sketched out the final drawing of the flag. Even the Tsar’s note on the sketch has been preserved: “Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called enlightened the Russian land with the light of Christ’s teaching.” The current final model of St. Andrew's flag was introduced after 1710; before that, the emperor drew eight more options, which were successively introduced in the fleet.
A terrifying purpose
Initially, the length of the St. Andrew's flag reached four meters. The size was based on tactical purposes: the flag had to cause fear in the enemy not only by its appearance, but also by ear and sound effect - a large panel “roared” in the wind. Until recently, the terrifying “roar” of the banners was still retained by various sirens, howlers, engines without mufflers and other “military tricks.” The dimensions of a modern Andreevsky should have a width to length ratio of one to one and a half, and the width of the stripes should correspond to 1/10 of the length of the panel.
Insulting the flag - war
The commanders of ships of the Russian Empire, addressing the crews before the battle, certainly uttered the phrase: “God and St. Andrew’s flag are with us!” The reverence was so great that insulting the main symbol could lead to unpredictable consequences. This happened in 1910 in the Austro-Hungarian port of Fiume, where the Russian squadron under the command of Rear Admiral Nikolai Mankovsky was forced to stop on the way from Montenegro. When warships enter a port or meet two squadrons, according to naval traditions, the so-called salute of nations, consisting of 21 shots, is required.
The Russian detachment, as a guest, fired a salvo first. The fortress did not answer. This became a grave insult to the St. Andrew's flag and Russia. A few hours later, an Austro-Hungarian squadron approached Fiume, fireworks were fired again, and again 21 salvos were fired from the Russian flagship. The ships of Austria-Hungary were not greeted. Mankovsky considered this a challenge and went to the squadron commander for clarification, but he did not accept it. Subsequently, we managed to explain ourselves, and the representative of our admiral demanded that the Austrian side give a salute from the fortress and squadron at 8 am the next day, when the flags would be raised on Russian ships. At the same time, the officer threatened not to release the Austrian ships from the bay if the tradition was not followed.
By order of Mankovsky, the Russian squadron moved into a combat position. Although the admiral understood perfectly well that his three ships had no chance against enemy forces almost 10 times superior. In addition, this conflict could become the beginning of a war between Russia and Austria-Hungary.
At 8 a.m., Russian sailors lined up on the decks of their ships, and as soon as the flags began to rise, salute guns began to roar in the Fiume fortress and on all Austrian ships. The admiral won this battle for the honor of St. Andrew's flag and the state.
Small but proud
After the revolution, in 1920, the minesweeper "Kitoboy" under the command of Lieutenant Oskar Fersman fled from Estonia due to the possibility of capture, raising the St. Andrew's flag. The ship's crew was heading through Europe to Crimea to visit Wrangel. On February 27, the ship arrived at the Copenhagen roadstead, where a powerful English squadron was located, the commander of which ordered the “Kitoboy” to lower the St. Andrew’s flag, since Great Britain no longer recognizes it. Fersman refused to comply with the demand and declared that he would fight, despite the fact that the minesweeper had only two guns.
The conflict was resolved by Empress Maria Feodorovna, who was in Copenhagen. With its help, the ship, which had not lowered its flag, was supplied with food and coal. The ship reached Sevastopol, from where, together with other ships of the Black Sea Fleet, it left for Bizerte. By the way, it was in this port, which belonged to France, that St. Andrew’s flags were lowered last from Russian ships. This happened in 1924, when France recognized the Soviet Union.
Helped the USA
St. Andrew's flag could be one of the reasons for the successful outcome of the war with the southern states in the 19th century for the Northern states. Great Britain sought to assist the South, which seriously threatened the supporters of the North. In September 1863, the squadrons of Russian admirals Popov and Lesovsky stopped at the roadstead of New York and San Francisco. According to some historians, the arrival of Russian ships stopped England from interfering in the confrontation. Three years later, a detachment of American ships arrived in Kronstadt to present gratitude for the support provided.
Shame for the sake of salvation
St. Andrew's flag was lowered voluntarily twice. The first case occurred in May 1829 during the Russian-Turkish War. Stroynikov, the commander of the frigate "Raphael", which was surrounded, ordered the flag to be lowered at the request of the sailors. Although the military council ordered to fight to the last opportunity, and then, approaching the nearest enemy ship, blow up the Raphael. Stroynikov, sacrificing his honor and the honor of St. Andrew's flag, saved hundreds of lives. Moreover, that battle did not have any strategic purpose - Türkiye soon capitulated.
All Raphael officers, except one midshipman, were then demoted and stripped of their awards. Emperor Nicholas I himself ordered the frigate to be burned. The order was carried out 24 years later by Vice Admiral Pavel Nakhimov during the Battle of Sinop. And the name "Raphael" was forever deleted from the lists of the Russian Imperial Navy.
The second time St. Andrew's banners were voluntarily lowered from the masts in May 1904 on the second day of the Battle of Tsushima. Rear Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov ordered the flags to be lowered on the five ships remaining from the squadron, which found themselves surrounded by two and a half dozen Japanese ships. During the tribunal, it became known that the commander thus saved 2,280 sailors from death. The rear admiral was sentenced to death, which was then replaced by ten years of fortress.
Return
After the revolution of 1917, the St. Andrew's flag was banned by the Soviet authorities. Instead, it was first decided to use the flag of the International - a red banner, and then the state flag of the USSR flew on the ships of the Navy.
In 1992, the Russian government adopted a resolution to restore the status of the St. Andrew's flag. On February 15 of the same year, on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the symbol returned to the Russian navy was consecrated.
On July 26, 1992, on Navy Day, the flags of the USSR Navy were raised for the last time on all warships, after which they were lowered to the sounds of the USSR anthem. Instead, St. Andrew's flags were raised during the anthem of the Russian Federation.
Almost got banned
In August 2009, the Russian Ministry of Justice included any flags with a cross on the list of extremist flags. Thus, St. Andrew's flag was also banned. Along with it, symbols of many foreign countries and several constituent entities of the Russian Federation were outlawed. However, the situation was resolved quite quickly.