Foreign Arms and Flags in Copenhagen

Of course, Copenhagen being the the capitol of Denmark, we should not be surprised to find the flags and/or arms of other nations appearing there, as capitol cities will generally host the embassies and consulates of foreign countries there.

So, during our walkabouts in Copenhagen, we found the following (in alphabetical order), without really trying to look very hard:

The flag of Finland:

The flag and arms of the French Republic:

The flag of Georgia (the country, not the U.S. State of Georgia!): Argent a cross between four crosses patty gules.

The flag and arms of the Italian Republic:

On a ship in the harbor, the ensign of the Republic of Poland. This ensign is based on the naval ensign, but instead of the fly being swallowtailed, this is a standard flag shape. Per fess argent and gules in chief the arms of Poland in chief (Gules an eagle displayed argent beaked and crowned or). (The national flag of Poland is simply Per fess argent and gules.)

The flag of the Republic of Slovenia:

And, finally, the arms of Sweden

Quite the international tour, for simply walking about the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark!

More Ecclesiastical Heraldry

With the ordination today, October 18, 2011, of the Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer as the 14th Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah, Georgia, we are treated to a rendition of the Bishop’s arms marshaled (to sinister, on the right in the shield below) with those of the Diocese (to dexter, on the left).

An announcement on the Diocese’s website at http://www.diosav.org/bishop-elect-coatofarms gives a full description of the arms and accompanying emblems, which you may find worth reading. I always find it interesting when we are given the reasons for the particular colors and charges that have been selected for a coat of arms (or, as here, two coats of arms, though marshaled on a single shield). I may not necessarily personally agree with the choices, but they are almost always a fascinating study of heraldry.

Oh! The _Other_ Georgia

Ran across a website which advertised “Georgia Official Coat of Arms Heraldry Symbol Bumper Stickers”, so of course I had to check it out. What I found there (http://www.zazzle.com/georgia_official_coat_of_arms_heraldry_symbol_bumper_sticker-128343005990179755), of course, was not the coat of arms of the State of Georgia in the United States, but that of the State of Georgia in Asia.

Though a little more hunting around on the site did find the Georgia, U.S. state seal on a sticker (below), tshirt, tote bag, and magnet.

Though, frankly, I like the arms for Georgia (in Asia) better than the seal for Georgia (U.S.). But maybe that’s just me.

Heraldry, Vexillology, and ... Sumo Wrestling?

An article in The Japan Times of February 20, 2009 (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ss20090220mb.html) has a great photograph by Mark Buckton of part of the ring-entering ceremony where the sumo wrestlers all stand in the circle, each wearing his patron’s (I assume) mon. In the circle and the photograph is makunouchi wrestler Kokkai, who is from Georgia (the one in Asia, not the one in North America). He is wearing the national flag of Georgia. (I have no idea where the gold eagle behind the flag comes from. The arms of Georgia are St. George on horseback killing the dragon, with golden lions supporting the shield. Nary an eagle in sight there.)

What a great use, and display, of heraldry and vexillology (flags), though! Oh, yeah, and really big sumo wrestlers.