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Saltire Flags
A saltire, also called Saint Andrew's Cross or the crux decussata, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross. The word comes from the Middle French , Medieval Latin ("stirrup"). From its use as field sign, the saltire came to be used in a number of flags, in the 16th century for Scotland and Burgundy, in the 18th century also as the ensign of the Russian Navy, and for Ireland. Notable 19th-century usage includes some of the flags of the Confederate States of America. It is also used in the flag of Jamaica and on seals, and as a heraldic charge in coats of arms. The term saltirewise or in saltire refers to heraldic charges arranged as a diagonal cross. The shield may also be divided per saltire, i.e. diagonally. A warning sign in the shape of a saltire is also used to indicate the point at which a railway line intersects a road at a level crossing. Heraldry and vexillology The saltire is important both in heraldry, being found in many coats of arms, and in vexi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saint Andrew%27s Cross
In Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Anglican, Oriental Orthodox, and Lutheran doctrine, all of their faithful deceased in Heaven are considered to be saints, but a selected few are considered worthy of greater honor or emulation. Official ecclesiastical recognition, and veneration, is conferred on some denominational saints through the process of canonization in the Catholic Church or glorification in the Eastern Orthodox Church after their approval. In many Protestant denominations, and following from Pauline usage, ''saint'' refers broadly to any holy Christian, without special recognition or selection. While the English word ''saint'' (deriving from the Latin ) originated in Christianity, historians of religion tend to use the appellation "in a more general way to refer to the state of special ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field (heraldry), field of an ''Escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon'' (shield). That may be a geometric design (sometimes called an ''ordinary (heraldry), ordinary'') or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object, building, or other device. In French blazon, the ordinaries are called ''pièces'', and other charges are called ''meubles'' ("[the] mobile [ones]"). The term ''charge'' can also be used as a verb; for example, if an escutcheon depicts three lion (heraldry), lions, it is said to be ''charged with three lions''; similarly, a crest or even a charge itself may be "charged", such as a pair of eagle wings ''charged with trefoils'' (as on the coat of arms of Brandenburg). It is important to distinguish between the ordinaries and divisions of the field, as they typically follow similar patterns, such as a shield ''divided'' "per chevron", as distinct from being ''charged with'' a chevron (insignia), ch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naval Ensign
A naval ensign is an ensign (maritime flag) used by naval ships of various countries to denote their nationality. It can be the same or different from a country's civil ensign or state ensign. It can also be known as a war ensign. A large version of a naval ensign that is flown on a warship's mast just before going into battle is called a battle ensign. An ensign differs from a jack, which is flown from a jackstaff at the bow of a vessel. Most countries have only one national flag and ensign for all purposes. In other countries, a distinction is made between the land flag and the civil, state and naval ensigns. The British ensigns, for example, differ from the flag used on land (the Union Flag) and have different versions of plain and defaced Red and Blue ensigns for civilian and state use, as well as the naval ensign ( White Ensign). Some naval ensigns differ in shape from the national flag, such as the Nordic naval ensigns, which have ' tongues'. Countries having sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saint Andrew
Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Church stems from the Gospel of John, where Andrew, initially a disciple of John the Baptist, follows Jesus and, recognising him as the Messiah, introduces his brother Simon Peter to him. According to Eastern Orthodox tradition, the apostolic successor to Andrew is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Life Early life The name "Andrew" (meaning ''manly, brave'', from ), like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews and other Hellenised people since the second or third century B.C.MacRory, Joseph; "Saint Andrew", The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 1, New York, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christian Cross
The Christian cross, seen as representing the crucifixion of Jesus, is a religious symbol, symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix, a cross that includes a ''corpus'' (a representation of Jesus' body, usually three-dimensional) and to the more general family of cross, cross symbols. The term '':wikt:cross, cross'' is now detached from its original specifically Christian meaning, in Early Modern English, modern English and many other Western languages. The basic forms of the cross are the Latin cross with unequal arms and the Greek cross with equal arms; there are numerous Christian cross variants, variants, partly with confessional significance—such as the tau cross, the Patriarchal cross, double-barred cross, Papal cross, triple-barred cross, and Jerusalem cross, cross-and-crosslets—and many heraldic cross, heraldic variants, such as the cross potent, cross pattée, and cross moline, cross fleury. Pre-Christian symbolism A version of the cross symbol was use ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ordinary (heraldry)
In heraldry, an ordinary is one of the two main types of Charge (heraldry), charges, beside the ''mobile charges''. An ordinary is a simple geometrical figure, bounded by straight lines and running from side to side or top to bottom of the Escutcheon (heraldry), shield. There are also some geometric charges known as subordinaries, which have been given lesser status by some heraldic writers, though most have been in use as long as the traditional ordinaries. Diminutives of ordinaries and some subordinaries are charges of the same shape, though thinner. Most of the ordinaries are theoretically said to occupy one-third of the shield; but this is rarely observed in practice, except when the ordinary is the only charge (as in the coat of arms of Austria). The terms ''ordinary'' and ''subordinary'' are somewhat controversial, as they have been applied arbitrarily and inconsistently among authors, and the use of these terms has been disparaged by some leading heraldic authorities. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vexillology
Vexillology ( ) is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.Smith, Whitney. ''Flags Through the Ages and Across the World'' New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Print. A person who studies flags is a list of vexillologists, vexillologist, one who designs flags is a vexillographer, and the art of designing flags is called vexillography. A hobbyist or general admirer of flags is a vexillophile. Etymology The word vexillology is a synthesis of the Latin word (a kind of square flag which was carried by Roman cavalry) and the Greek suffix ("study"). History American scholar Whitney Smith is acknowledged for conceiving "vexillology" in 1957. He wrote, "While the use of flags goes back to the earliest days of human civilization, the study of that usage in a serious fashion is so recent that the term for it did not appear in print until 1959." Before this time, the study of flags was generally considered a part of heraldry, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heraldry
Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealogy, pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch of heraldry, concerns the design and transmission of the Achievement (heraldry), heraldic achievement. The achievement, or armorial bearings usually includes a coat of arms on a escutcheon (heraldry), shield, helmet (heraldry), helmet and Crest (heraldry), crest, together with any accompanying devices, such as supporters, Heraldic badge, badges, Heraldic flag, heraldic banners and mottoes. Although the use of various devices to signify individuals and groups goes back to Ancient history, antiquity, both the form and use of such devices varied widely, as the concept of regular, hereditary designs, constituting the distinguishing feature of heraldry, did not develop until the High Middle Ages. It i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Level Crossing
A level crossing is an intersection where a railway line crosses a road, Trail, path, or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line or the road etc. crossing over or under using an Overpass#Railway, overpass or tunnel. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate Right-of-way (railroad), right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion. Other names include railway level crossing, railway crossing (chiefly international), grade crossing or railroad crossing (chiefly American), road through railroad, criss-cross, train crossing, and RXR (abbreviated). There are more than 100,000 level crossings in Europe and more than 200,000 in North America. Road-grade crossings are considered incompatible with high-speed rail and are virtually non-existent in European high-speed train operations. File:The 5.20 for West Kirby leaving Hoylake - geograph.org.uk - 1503619.jpg, A level crossing at Hoylake, Merseyside, Engl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
