What do the colors of the Russian flag mean?

The first official flag of the Russian state was approved in 1858 by Emperor Alexander II. It was depicted three equally large bands of black, yellow and white flowers. Why were these colors chosen, and what do the colors of the Russian flag mean in the 19th century? Stability, stability and strength (black), spirituality, moral perfection and firmness of spirit (yellow), eternity, purity and sacrifice for the Fatherland (white). Such flags were decorated with squares and buildings on solemn occasions. The meaning of the colors of the Russian flag at that time was not accidental. They have since the time of troubled times personified the national heraldic emblems. The first two colors passed to the heraldry of Russia from the Byzantine Empire, and white color was always revered in Russia, it was the color of St. George the Victorious, patron of the Russian state and Moscow.

Thirty years later, Emperor Alexander III issued a decree on the use of flags with white-blue-red stripes instead of black and yellow-white for decoration of buildings on solemn and holiday days. Why did this flag symbolize Russian statehood and what are the colors of the Russian flag? The emergence of this color symbolism historians associated with the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who in the XVII century began to build the first Russian sailboats. It was then that their masts were decorated with tricolor flags whose bright stripes were far visible in the open sea. The picture on the flag was not the same as now. Its center was crossed by two blue stripes, dividing the flag into four equal parts, two of which were white, and two red.

Peter the First, engaged in the construction of the Russian fleet, also did not forget about equipping the ships with flags, which clearly determined their belonging to Russia. It was he who approved the symbolism of the flag in the form of white-blue-red stripes, although the first such flags in the center were decorated with a golden double-headed eagle. White-blue-red symbols were complemented also by the uniforms of the land forces, officers wore striped tricolor belts-scarves. From the time of the Northern War, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, the St. Andrew's flag proudly ascended in the Russian army, and later on the warships - a symbol of the invincibility of the Russian navy, and the three-lane banner Peter the Great approved as a sign of the merchant fleet.

In its modern form, the Russian tricolor was officially approved by the state flag by decree of Nicholas II. Three colors firmly in the minds of the people associated with the name of Peter the Great, they were revered as national Russian colors and deeply revered. What do the colors of the Russian flag mean? Independence and freedom symbolized white, blue - associated with the image of Our Lady, the patron saint of Russia, red - symbolized statehood and greatness. There is another interpretation of what the colors of the Russian flag mean. The Russian state combined together three East Slavic people: Belarusian (white), Ukrainian (blue) and Russian (red). In addition, the location of the colored bands on the flag corresponded to the ancient understanding of the structure of the universe. Thus, the meaning of the colors of the Russian flag from this point of view can be interpreted as follows. Red - earthly, physical world, blue - heavenly, white - spiritual, divine world.

After the October Revolution the state symbols of Russia changed radically. A new coat of arms of the USSR, a new red flag, the color of which denoted the blood shed by the people in the struggle for freedom, was adorned for seventy years by state and government agencies. In 1993, it was decided to return to Russia the old pre-revolutionary symbols, a coat of arms with a two-headed eagle and a tricolor tricolor, which was confirmed by a presidential decree. What do the colors of the national flag mean in modern Russia? Peace, prosperity, perfection and purity symbolize the white color, faith and constancy means blue, and red means strength, energy, heroism and courage.