List of flags of the Papacy
The following is a list of flags used in Vatican City and for its predecessor, the Papal States.
National flag and State flag
| Flag | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Vatican City (1929–2001).svg | 7 June 1929 – 26 November 2000 | Two fields divided vertically, yellow field on the staff side and a white field on the fly side, which bears the tiara and the keys.[1] |
| File:Flag of the Vatican City - 2001 version.svg | 26 November 2000 – 7 June 2023 | |
| File:Flag of the Vatican City (2023–present).svg | 7 June 2023 – present |
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Papal flags
Papal standard
| Flag | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Striped flag of Pope Clemens VII.svg | 1523–1534 | Orange and red stripes charged with the coat of arms of Pope Clement VII. |
| File:Papal Flag of Pope Benedict XVI.svg | 2005–2013 | Two fields divided vertically, yellow field on the staff side and a white field on the fly side, which bears Pope Benedict's personal arms. |
| File:Papal Flag of Pope Francis (2013–2023).svg | 2013–2023 | Two fields divided vertically, yellow field on the staff side and a white field on the fly side, which bears Pope Francis's personal arms. |
| File:Papal Flag of Pope Francis.svg | 2023–2025 | |
| File:Papal Flag of Pope Leo XIV.svg | 2025– | Two fields divided vertically, yellow field on the staff side and a white field on the fly side, which bears Pope Leo's personal arms. |
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Papal pennant
| Flag | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Pennant of Pope Benedict XVI.svg | 2005–2013 | With a yellow band at the hoist and Pope Benedict's personal arms in color in the white fly. |
| File:Papal Pennant of Pope Francis (2013–2023).svg | 2013–2023 | With a yellow band at the hoist and Pope Francis's personal arms in color in the white fly. |
| File:Papal Pennant of Pope Francis.svg | 2023–2025 | |
| File:Papal Pennant of Pope Leo XIV.svg | 2025– | With a yellow band at the hoist and Pope Leo's personal arms in color in the white fly. |
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Papal banners
| Flag | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Papal banner of Pope Pius XI.svg | 1922–1939 | Papal banner of Pope Pius XI |
| File:Papal banner of Pope Pius XII.svg | 1939–1958 | Papal banner of Pope Pius XII |
| File:Papal banner of Pope John XXIII.svg | 1958–1963 | Papal banner of Pope John XXIII |
| File:Papal banner of Pope Paul VI.svg | 1963–1978 | Papal banner of Pope Paul VI |
| File:Papal banner of Pope John Paul II.svg | 1978–2005 | Papal banner of Pope John Paul II |
| File:Papal banner of Pope Benedict XVI.svg | 2005–2013 | Papal banner of Pope Benedict XVI |
| File:Papal banner of Pope Francis (detailed).svg | 2013–2025 | Papal banner of Pope Francis |
| File:Papal banner of Pope Leo XIV.svg | 2025– | Papal banner of Pope Leo XIV |
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Military flag
| Flag | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Schweizer Gardestandarte mit Wappen des Oberst Franz Pfyffer von Altishofen.gif | 1978–1982 | Papal guard flag of 1914, but with the arms of Pope John Paul II and Commandant Franz Pfyffer von Altishofen |
| File:BANDERA GUARDIA VATICA JP II.svg | 2002–2005 | Papal guard flag of 1914, but with the arms of Pope John Paul II and Commandant Elmar Mäder |
| File:BANDERA GUARDIA VATICA BENET XVI.svg | 2005–2008 | Papal guard flag of 1914, but with the arms of Pope Benedict XVI and Commandant Elmar Mäder |
| File:Wimpel auto 20081124115622.jpg | 2008–2013 | Papal guard flag of 1914, but with the arms of Benedict XVI and Commandant Daniel Anrig |
| File:BANDERA GUARDIA VATICA PANCHO.svg | 2013–2015 | Papal guard flag of 1914, but with the arms of Pope Francis and Commandant Daniel Anrig |
| File:BandieraGuardiaSvizzeraGraf-PapaFrancesco.png | 2015–2025 | Papal guard flag of 1914, but with the arms of Pope Francis and Commandant Christoph Graf |
| File:BANDERA GUARDIA VATICA LEOXIV.svg | 2025– | Papal guard flag of 1914, but with the arms of Pope Leo XIV and Commandant Christoph Graf |
Historical flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Pontifical navy Petrus Paulus.svg | Papal naval ensign | White flag with a version of the coat of arms of the Holy See between the figures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. | |
| File:Vexillum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae.svg | 1300s | Banner of Pope Boniface VIII | A red swallowtail with two golden keys crossed over an umbraculum of the same colour. |
| File:Flag of Leo X.svg | 1510s | Banner of Pope Leo X | An orange swallowtail with seven red roundels. |
| File:Flag of the Papal States, ca. 1523.svg | 1520s | An orange swallowtail featuring two crossed keys on a white shield. | |
| File:Pala Pesaro flag.svg | 1520s | Flag used by papal military strategist Jacopo Pesaro | |
| File:Palazzo Farnese flag of the Papacy.svg | 1540s | Banner of Pope Paul III | Dark red swallowtail with the keys and tiara design. |
| File:Flag of the Papal State (1669).gif | 1669–1771 | Flag for Papal Ships | A red flag with Christ on the cross, surrounded by St. Peter and St. Paul. |
| File:Flag of the Papal States (1808-1870).svg | 1808–1870[2] | Pilot flag, Infantry colours and de-facto civil flag[3] | Vertical yellow and white bicolour. |
| File:Papal proto-national flag.svg | –1870 | War and proto-national flag[4] flown over Porta Pia during the fall of Rome (1870)[5] | Yellow and white, with simplified coat of arms of the Holy see in the middle |
| File:Flag of the Papal States (1803-1825).svg | 1803–1825 | Flag for Papal Merchant Ships | A white banner with the keys and tiara in the centre. |
| File:Flag of the Roman Republic (19th century).svg | 1849 | Flag of the Roman Republic | The Italian tricolour with the phrase DIO E POPOLO (God and People) in the centre. |
| File:Flag of the Papal States (1825-1870).svg | 1825–1870 | Flag for Papal Merchant Ships | Vertical yellow and white bicolour with the tiara and keys in the center of the white half. |
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See also
References
- Back to citation "Flag of Vatican City". Retrieved 2021-09-26. “vertically divided yellow-white national flag with an emblem on the white stripe featuring two crossed keys and a papal tiara. The flag is square in its proportions.”; "The Flag of the Vatican City". Retrieved 2021-09-26. “The Vatican City State flag is square in shape, with yellow and white vertically divided on each side of the flag.”; "Legge fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano 26 novembre 2000" (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-09-26; "letter to the German nunciature (2010-05-27)" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 2021-09-26.
- Back to citation "Bandiera pontificia" (in Italian). Stato della cità del Vaticano. Archived from the original on 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2008-07-09. “Anticamente la bandiera dello Stato pontificio era giallorossa (o per meglio dire amaranto e rossa, colori derivati dai colori dello stemma della Santa Sede), i due colori tradizionali del Senato e del Popolo romano, che vennero tuttavia sostituiti con il bianco e il giallo nel 1808, allorché Pio VII”
- Back to citation William Becker "Vatican Flags", 2018
- Back to citation William Becker "Vatican Flags", 2018
- Back to citation "Vaticano, la bandiera di Porta Pia ritorna dopo 141 anni". La Stampa (in Italian). 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2023-11-03; "MEMORIAE TRADERE. E' TORNATA IN VATICANO LA BANDIERA DEI DIFENSORI DI PORTA PIA – di Pucci Cipriani – Ricognizioni". www.ricognizioni.it. Retrieved 2023-11-03; Cipriani, Pucci (2022-10-31). "È tornata in Vaticano la Bandiera dei difensori di Porta Pia" (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-11-03.