Flag and coat of arms of Russia. What is the meaning of them?

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Law and morality require respect for the symbols of the state, at least respect. Otherwise, the case smells like a court. Of course, society must know the symbols of its state, and, of course, understand their meaning. If we do not have an explanation of our own symbolism, then we become like an illiterate crowd that sacredly honors don’t know what … Realizing this simple truth, I urgently decided to fill the gap in education. I had no idea that our symbolism might not have any interpretation at all.

Not long ago there was the Soviet Union with its hammer and sickle workers 'and peasants' coat of arms, and the flag of the color of blood shed for the freedom of the oppressed. Every Soviet person knew at least approximately their interpretation. There was even a joke among the people: “On the right is a hammer, on the left is a sickle. This is our Soviet coat of arms. You want to live, but you want to strike. You will get it anyway …”and so on. It seems like a fable, but it shows how widespread the knowledge of the symbols of their country was among the people. And those who were especially curious could guess the meaning of the globe depicted on the Soviet coat of arms. This is a reminder to us of the international's claims to world revolution.

Then we knew that we were honoring, but what about today?

One of the most authoritative and information-rich sources on this topic was the website of the Heraldic Council under the President of the Russian Federation. There, Mikhail Medvedev, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Guild of Heraldic Artists, a member of the Heraldic Council under the President of the Russian Federation, State Councilor of the Russian Federation III class, Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Heraldry (AIH), shared his opinion there. In general, not the last person. His article "Russian coat of arms (personal opinion of a professional)" is impressive. At the beginning, the author lets us know that in heraldry they do not depict anything for no reason:

It turns out how difficult and thoughtful everything is. Now for us and the meaning will open our state symbols. But here's what we read next about the coat of arms of the Russian Federation:

That is, the two-headed eagle became a symbol of the Russian Federation not to commemorate something, not to express some ideas and aspirations, but because no other came to mind - just like that, for a heraldic "tick". Since it was here before, since it does not bother anyone, then let it continue. Mikhail Medvedev admitted that with a serious study of the issue, the meaning of this symbol in the past looks like highly controversial:

It turns out that the most common interpretation of the two-headed eagle is clear water linden … Immediately, the author himself blurts out that the two-headed bird is a much more ancient symbol, and the German monarchs did not discover anything new here:

Now it becomes clear that not only people don't know meanings of the two-headed eagle, but also the main heraldist of the country. You need to ask the ancient Persians or Assyrians, who, by the way, are our relatives. Well, how did this miracle appear in Russia:

This version sounds for every opportunity, but in fact it's not so obvious:

And again it turns out that we were all misled … The reason for the existence of the two-headed eagle in the symbolism of the Moscow principality of the 15th century is unknown. The hypothesis about the inheritance rights of symbolism from Byzantium is far-fetched. This does not mean at all that the use of the two-headed bird in Russia was accidental. It's just that we, as, apparently, and the leading heraldists, do not know the true reasons.

The rider on the chest of an eagle really not George the Victorious … Here's what the article says about it:

Then who is he? According to the highly scholarly tradition, which considers the princes and kings of the past to be exclusively moral monsters, today it is believed that in this way Ivan III perpetuated himself beloved (allegorically). That is dead end again, nothing is officially known about the rider. Although, according to numerous testimonies, one can judge that this is one of the most ancient symbols of Russia. Mikhail Medvedev writes about the three crowns over the heads of the eagle:

The heraldists of the USA and Romania also do not know about the meaning of the crowns on the coats of arms, "out of ignorance", since there are no crowns on their coats of arms, and they still consider themselves independent. But in Germany, in republican times, the crown (precisely as a symbol of the monarchy) disappeared from the coat of arms forever. This indicates, at least, about large discrepancies in heraldic traditions. It is strange that our specialists have not caught up with their Western colleagues. Well, something, but the tradition of chivalry in Germany is.

The red (scarlet) field of the coat of arms in heraldry denotes the blood shed for the overlord (ruler) or for an idea. A lot of our blood has been spilled, but for what idea, or for what ruler? What is the blood-soaked field of the Russian coat of arms crying about? According to Medvedev colors are randomly selected: "The reason was simple: in the Byzantine court life, the eagle usually appeared embroidered with gold threads on scarlet fabric, that is, simply luxurious material and luxurious material …"

This is just an excuseso as not to seek the true meaning.

With the flag, everything is much easier. There is not even a satisfactory hypothesis there. All official documents state that there is no official interpretation of the colors of the Russian flag … This is my personal opinion, but if the colors of the flag are meaningless (no interpretation), then they are like a digital code. For example, the code for Russia could be 6-5-2, and the code for France was 2-5-6. And, nevertheless, according to Article 329 of the Criminal Code of Russia, desecration of the State Flag of the Russian Federation is punishable by restraint of liberty for a period of up to two years, or arrest for a period of three to six months, or imprisonment for a period of up to one year.

Here it would be necessary to decide - either to reach complete insanity, and start imprisoning for desecration of numbers, or still deepen the significance (in the literal sense) of state symbols for society. Desirable stop hiding its meaningif there is one. If today the meaning is forgotten, then remember what it was. And at worst, come up with anew, in accordance with today's realities.

However, the most correct, in my opinion, would be to restore continuity with the richest world of images and symbols of Russia. Moreover, both the rider and, it seems, the two-headed eagle, come from there. Why hasn't this happened yet? Because those entrusted with this task do not like their country, their people and their past. Here is what a member of the Heraldic Council under the President of the Russian Federation writes about this Medvedev:

This is how advanced Japan is, adopting our ancient Vedic symbols. And our heraldists they can't even get a vignette out of their past. They are afraid to admit their own barbarism. They are ashamed even in front of Nigeria and Barbados. The court heraldists are sure that in the 15th century our close ancestors simply copied all the symbols from their neighbors. This alone explains the unwillingness to understand its meaning.

Therefore, our modern Russian state symbols (unlike most other countries) does not mean anything … Therefore, the entire 130 million people of Russia considered it unworthy to have a state idea expressed in symbols. Yes! After all, it is the state idea, and not at all the rules invented once, that is the main basis in the creation of state symbols. Heraldry is just a language. Without state idea, any coat of arms becomes just a picture, and the veneration and desecration of which are meaningless. It’s strange that professionals don’t understand this.

And yet, our state symbols speak volumes. With their whole being, they denote the attitude of those in power to the people of Russia, to our past, present and future. They show how diligently disorientates our society.

Alexey Artemiev