Arms of the Portuguese Red Cross

[Marcus Karlsson]

Picture from http://philangra.blogspot.se/2013/04/a-cruz-vermelha-portuguesa.html

The Red Cross needs no explanation. The roundles which in Portuguese Heraldry are called Quinas is a national symbol of Portugal. The Castles symbolize protection, one of the missions of the Red Cross. The Dolphin is known to help other Dolphins in distress and is here used as a symbol of the Red Cross' humanitarian mission. The Order of the Tower and Sword (the highest decoration in Portugal) was bestowed on the Portuguese Red Cross in recollection for its service to Portuguese soldiers in the First World War (where a Portuguese Expeditionary Force fought along side the Entente on the Western Front) and in Angola and Mozambique (Colonial wars in the 1960ies and 1970ies). The Motto is "Humanidade e Neutralidade" = "Humanity and Neutrality".

[Jonathan Webster]

Fascinating! Thanks for that Marcus!

I've always wondered though-are the Red Cross Organisations in any other countries armigerous?

[Chris Green]

The British Red Cross isn't as far as I can discover.

[Jonathan Webster]

The British Red Cross isn't as far as I can discover.

If that's the case, that's a shame as well as surprising.

[Chris Green]

The Red Cross is such a well-known and respected logo that I doubt that anyone (with the honourable exception of the Portuguese) felt it necessary to seek a grant of arms.

[Chris Green]

The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, which undertakes similar tasks to Red Cross, has a CoA - Gules, a Cross Argent, in the first quarter a representation of Her Majesty’s Crest. Curiously I cannot find a depiction of it save in the Order's Regulations. It is on page 31 of the attached pdf:

http://www.orderofstjohn.org/uploads/PD ... ations.pdf

[Jeremy Kudlick]

The document containing the regulations no longer seems to be available, but an image containing a banner of the arms is presently on the "Contact Us" page.

http://www.orderofstjohn.org/contact-us

[Chas Charles-Dunne]

The Red Cross symbol belongs to the International Committee of the Red Cross and in individual countries to the respective Ministries of Defence. The British Red Cross Society uses the symbol (like all other national societies) with the permission of the MoD and not as a right.

It is the MoD which stipulates how the national society may use the symbol and in which context. I am more than a little surprised that the Portuguese Mod gave permission for this as it breaks ICRC regulations.

[Iain Boyd]

Dear Charles,

The red cross symbol may 'belong' to the International Committee of the Red Cross, BUT, I would be very surprised if they could stop any individual (let alone a national organisation) from using the same cross in their coat of arms - whatever it's symbolism in those arms.

Regards,

Iain Boyd

[Ryan Shuflin]

I suspect that since the Red Cross was established by international law, that there is some extra protection given the red cross symbol, but it's scope, I do not know.