At the recent Olympic Games in Tokyo, Dominican athlete Marileidy Paulino (24) celebrated her 400 metres silver medal raising the Dominican flag in one hand and her Bible in the other.

The flag she was holding also bore a Bible, because there is only one country in the world that has the Bible waving on its flag: the Dominican Republic, a beautiful Caribbean island known by the warmth and fervour of its people.

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At first glance, the flag has a large central white cross and, right in the middle, at its heart, is the Coat of Arms, which contains an open Bible topped by a small cross.

Furthermore, the gospel, chapter and verse displayed was intentionally chosen. It is John 8, 32: “They will know the truth and the truth will set them free”.

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[photo_footer]The Coat of Arms bears a Bible open in John, chapter 8, verse 32 in the centre. [/photo_footer]

For the independence fighters, it was important to highlight freedom in the broad sense in their patriotic symbols, but also specifically, the freedom that comes from faith and good principles, those that allow to discern between good and evil.

At times, politicians decide to use a version of the flag that does not display the coat of arms, but many protest because they consider it disrespectful to the Christian values of their nation.

The reality of God occupies a central place in the life of most Dominicans, as their official flag reflects. Some even believe that it is this Christian devotion that protects them from the natural disasters that have hit, for example, neighbouring Haiti.

Designed over 100 years ago

The design of the coat of arms was devised by the Dominican politician Casimiro Nemesio de Moya and it was made official in 1913. Its characteristics were defined in the article 32 of its Constitution:

“The national Coat of Arms has the same colours, arranged in the same way, as the national flag. It bears a Bible open in John, chapter 8, verse 32 in the centre, and above it a cross, which emerge from a trophy composed of two spears and four national flags without shields, arranged on both sides; it also bears a laurel branch on the left side and a palm branch on the right side.

It is crowned with an ultramarine blue ribbon which reads: 'God, Homeland and Freedom'. There is also a vermilion-red ribbon at the bottom of the shield, whose ends face upwards with the words 'Dominican Republic'”.

The national Coat of Arms is quadrilateral, with the upper corners protruding and the lower corners rounded, arranged to form a perfect square.

The only one in the world

There are other countries that have included Christian symbols on their flag, with the cross being the main protagonist. For example, the famous Union Jack in the United Kingdom, made up of a combination of the crosses of the patron saints of England (St George), Scotland (St Andrew) and Northern Ireland (St Patrick).

However, the Dominican Republic is the only nation with a Bible on its flag.

Photo

‘Praise Him, sun and moon...’

The moon, seen from the Earth and from space. Images captured by the NASA in 2015.

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