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Missal, Paraná (Brazil)

image by Dirk Schönberger, 2 September 2011
Source: http://www.missal.pr.gov.br/prefeitura/html/main.jsp?cat=mun&pg=bandeira

About the Flag

About the Flag

A green flag with slightly radiating red diagonals, in the centre a blue square overlain by a white diamond, with an open book displayed.

Official website at http://www.missal.pr.gov.br
Dirk Schönberger, 2 September 2011

The municipality of Missal (10,474 inhabitants in 2010; 320 sq. km) is located in western Paraná, on the border with Paraguay (here, Lake Itaipu), 620 km of Curitiba. Missal was settled in 1961-1962, mostly by 2nd-generation German colonists led by Father José Backes, the founder of the "Sipal Colonizadora" company. The early colonists mostly lived from timber extraction. The name of the new settlement (lit., [Roman] Missal] was chosen to highlight the religious background of its foundation; at the time, 98% of the inhabitants were of Roman Catholic religion. The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains all the texts used in the mass for one year; its use has been mandatory since a Decree issued by Pope Pius V in 1570. The municipality of Missal was established by State Law No. 7,566 of 30 December 1981, seceding from Medianeira, and inaugurated on 1 December 1983.

The flag of Missal is prescribed by Municipal Law No. 4, adopted in 1983. The green background represents the greening fields promising good harvests. The red diagonal stripes represent the fertile soil covering the whole municipal territory. The blue triangles have the color of the sky in spring mornings, as well as the rivers and Lake Itaipu watering the municipality. The central white lozenge represents the municipal territory and population, symbolizing also the spirit of peace and friendship present in the heart of the inhabitants. The open book symbolizes the seat of the municipality, the bookmark representing the municipal power guiding the population.
http://www.missal.pr.gov.br/prefeitura/html/main.jsp?cat=mun&pg=bandeira

This design seems to have been derived from Arcinoê Antonio Peixoto de Faria's principles, applied with less "rigor" than by Peixoto himself.
Ivan Sache, 20 February 2012