Dictionary of Vexillology: P (Papal Cross - Paying Off Pennant)

Last modified: 2015-11-13 by rob raeside
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

• PAPAL CROSS
• PARADE FLAG
• PARLAY (or PARLEY) FLAG
• PARTI-COLOURED
• PARTIALLY COVERING
• PARTY
• PARTY FLAG
• PASCAL LAMB
• PASSANT
• PASSANT GUARDANT (or PASSANT GARDANT)
• PATCHWORK FLAG
• PATRIARCHAL CROSS
• PATTÉE (PATÉE, PATTY or PATY) CROSS
• PAVILION
• PAVISADE
• PAVON
• PAYING OFF PENNANT

PAPAL CROSS

The term that describes a cross with three horizontal arms crossing the vertical, and considered to represent the Papacy – a triple-armed or triple cross (see also ‘cross 2)’, ‘cross of Lorraine’, ‘orthodox cross’ and ‘two and a half armed cross’).

 
Flag of Binn, Switzerland (fotw); Arms and Flag of Križevci, Croatia (fotw); Arms and Flag of Dolní Bečva, Czech Republic (fotw)

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PARADE FLAG (or PENNANT)

1) Generically, the term for any flag (or pennant) intended to be carried outdoors in a parade situation, and made with appropriate materials and accessories - a marching flag/pennant.

2) Specifically, the term for that flag which is not a military colour as defined herein, but which is treated and/or accessorized as such – for example those of the Royal British Legion (see also ‘colour 2)’, ‘cord(s) 1)’, ‘cravat 1)’, ‘fringe’, ‘tassels’, ‘sleeve 2)’, ‘staff’ 3)’ and ‘veterans flag’).

 
Parade Flag of the Royal Naval Association, UK (Graham Bartram); Parade Flag of the Royal British Legion, UK (Graham Bartram)

Notes
a) There are basically three ways involving a sleeve by which a parade flag or military colour may be affixed to its staff - with decorative nails (often a precisely regulated number of nails), by means of a grommet and clip, or by tab and screw (see also ‘grommet’, 'nails' ‘sleeve 2)’ and ‘tab’) however:
b) The practice of tying a colour/parade flag to its staff, or attaching it by cloth loops or metal rings is still occasionally seen (see also ‘grommet’, ‘sleeve 2)’, 'tab' and ‘ties’).

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PARLAY (or PARLEY) FLAG

See ‘flag of truce’.

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PARTI-COLOURED

See ‘counterchanged’.

Flag of Las Labores, Spain (fotw)

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PARTIALLY COVERING

A term that may be used when a canton or other charge does not entirely cover one or more of the stripes in a multi-striped flag – for example, a white disk partially covering the centre two stripes on the national flag of Uganda as illustrated below (see also ‘covering’, ‘overall 1)’ and ‘multi-stripe’).

Flag of Vista Alegre do Alto, Brazil (fotw); Flag of Maranhăo, Brazil (fotw); National Flag of Uganda (fotw)

Please note that this term is never used alone but always with the number of stripes being covered and/or partially covered.

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PARTY

The heraldic term that may be used when a shield or banner of arms is divided into two horizontally, vertically or diagonally, or into four diagonally - see ‘per bend’, ‘per bend sinister’, ‘per fess’, ‘per pale’ and ‘per saltire’).

From left: Party Per Fess, Per Pale, Per Bend. Per Bend Sinister and Per Saltire

Please note that this term is never used alone, but always with the term describing the direction of any such division, for example party per fess.

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PARTY FLAG

See ‘political flag 1)’.

A Flag of the Communist Party, Iraq (Eugene Ipavec)

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PASCAL LAMB

See ‘agnus dei’.

Flag of Bennwil, Switzerland (fotw)

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PASSANT

See ‘Appendix V’.

 
Example; Flag of Košařiska, Czech Republic (fotw)

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PASSANT GUARDANT (or PASSANT GARDANT)

See ‘guardant’ and ‘passant’ in ‘Appendix V’.

Royal Standard of England 1198 – 1340 (fotw); Flag of Häggenschwil, Switzerland (fotw)

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PATCHWORK FLAG

1) A flag or flag-like image that combines the national flags of those nations which make up a supra-national entity or geographic area (see also ‘linguistic flags 1)’ and ‘supra-national flag’).
2) See ‘combined flag’.

Example of a EU Patchwork Flag (fotw)

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PATRIARCHAL CROSS

See ‘cross of Lorraine’.

Flag of Ieper, Belgium (fotw)

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PATTÉE (PATÉE, PATTY or PATY) CROSS

See ‘Appendix VIII’.

House flag of the Companhia Nacional de Navegaçăo Costeira, Brazil (fotw)

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PAVILION

The heraldic term for an ermine-lined velvet robe of state that is draped from a crown or coronet and framing a royal or princely coat of arms. If behind a non-royal coat of arms it becomes a mantle (see also ‘armorial bearings’, ‘coat of arms’, ‘crown’, ‘ermine’, ‘mantle’ and and ‘royal arms’).

Royal Arms of Egypt 1922 – 1953; Royal Arms of Sweden (fotw); Grand-Ducal Arms of Liechtenstein (fotw); Greater Arms of Serbia (Željko Heimer)

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PAVISADE

A term for the practice, now obsolete, of showing a decorative display of shields along the sides of a ship – see ‘deck flags’ (also ‘ancient 2)’, ‘crown of arms’, (also ‘postures’ and ‘streamer 2)’).

English Pavisade c1530 (CS)

Please note that the practice of hanging shields along the sides of a fighting ship began as a defensive measure, but had become largely decorative by the mid-16th Century.

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PAVON

The medieval European term for a triangular flag or pennant whose lower edge was at right angles to its staff, but which may be extended to include the increasingly (but not entirely) obsolete oriental flag or pennant of this same pattern - see ‘dhvaja’ and ‘prayer flag’ (also ‘double pavon’).

Flag of the Coast Guard, China 1881 (fotw); Flags of Bartloming and Kiltai, Indonesia c1900 (fotw); Flag of the Customs Service, China 1881 (fotw)

Please note that the Editors have introduced an extension of this term, as no accurate and/or established alternative could be found to cover the Oriental examples.

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PAYING OFF PENNANT

In British RN usage and in some others the term for an extra long version of the standard masthead pennant; it is the tradition in some navies that a ship on her final voyage, or at the end of an extended deployment out of home waters, should fly a special pennant the length of which is commensurate with the length of her last commission, or of the deployment being completed - an action pennant, a homeward bound pennant or decommissioning pennant (see also ‘masthead pennant 1) & 2)’). ^{See supplemental note}.

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