British Virgin Islands flag

British Virgin Islands flag
Vexillological symbol :	?
Aspect ratio:	1: 2
Officially accepted:	November 15, 1960

Trade flag

The flag of the British Virgin Islands shows the Union Jack , the flag of the British motherland , on a blue background in the luff / mast above . It is therefore a Blue Ensign . The coat of arms of the British Virgin Islands is shown at the flying end . It consists of a green shield with twelve golden lamps with red flames and a female figure, St. Ursula of Cologne , patron saint of the British Virgin Islands. She is dressed in white, wears sandals and holds one of the lamps in her hand. The eleven other lamps refer to the eleven or eleven thousand companions (Eleven virgins ) of St. Ursula, who, according to tradition, were martyred with her .

Directly below the sign is the motto: VIGILATE (from Latin for example: Be vigilant!). This motto (Mt 25: 1-13a) together with the burning oil lamps in the coat of arms probably refers to the parable of the five wise and the five foolish virgins in the Gospel of Matthew ( Mt 25 : 1-13  LUT ). The wise virgins supplied themselves with oil in time, that is, they prepared themselves in time for the arrival of the Bridegroom ( Christ ). He finds her awake on his arrival and takes her with him to the wedding (into the kingdom of heaven ). Saint Ursula and her companions (all of whom were virgins) are thus portrayed as inwardly prepared to enter heaven (i.e. martyrdom).

• 

  ^? Trade flag

• 

  The governor's union jack

• 

  Coat of arms of the flag

history

When Christopher Columbus discovered the islands in 1493 , he named them Las Virgenes in honor of St. Ursula and her companions. The eleven lamps that surround the figure of St. Ursula each represent 1,000 of the 11,000 virgins who, according to legend, were tortured to death together with St. Ursula. The figure and the lamps are surrounded by a wreath of two green branches.

The flag in its current form was adopted on November 15, 1960. The elements that were already used as coats of arms were set against the background of the United Kingdom.

Web links

Commons : Flags of the British Virgin Islands  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• FOTW : Anguilla