National symbols

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Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Republic of Serbia was established by the Law on the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Serbia on 16 June 1882. The famous two-headed eagle is a symbol taken from Byzantium. It is interpreted that one of its heads represents the direction towards heavenly kingdom, while the other is turned towards earthly kingdom.

Flag

It is believed among the people that red colour on the Serbian flag represents the blood shed for this country, the blue represents freedom, while the white represents mother’s milk feeding strong Serbian children.

 

Flag experts believe that the colour symbolic is not related to our specific area and national experience, but view these meanings as universal. They offer an explanation according to which the blue colour is a symbol of fidelity and loyalty, and the white colour a symbol of purity and honesty.

 

The flag of the Republic of Serbia is used as:

 

  • state flag,
  • national flag, with the scale 3:2 (length according to height),
  • standard: state flag of square shape used by the President of the Republic and President of the National Assembly.

 

On the basis of the authority from the Law on the Appearance and Use of the Coat of Arms, Flag and Anthem of the Republic of Serbia, in 2010, the Government adopted the Decree on Determining the Standards of the Great and the Small Coat of Arms, the Standard of the Flag and the Note Recording of the Anthem of the Republic of Serbia.

 

The standards of the coat of arms and flag of the Republic of Serbia and the graphic standards for displaying the National Flag, the State Flag, the standards of the President of the National Assembly and the President of the Republic can be found here.

Anthem

The Anthem of the Republic of Serbia is the festive song “Boze Pravde” the lyrics of which were written by Jovan Djordjevic in 1872, and the music was composed by Davorin Jenko.

 

It was accepted as the official anthem of Serbia on 8 November 2006.

 

Anthem lyrics:

 

God of Justice; Thou who saved us

when in deepest bondage cast

Hear Thy Serbian children's voices,

Be our help as in the past.

 

With Thy mighty hand sustain us,

Still our rugged pathway trace;

God, our hope; protect and cherish,

Serbian lands and Serbian race!

 

Bind in closest links our kindred

Teach the love that will not fail,

May the loathed fiend of discord

Never in our ranks prevail.

 

Let the golden fruits of union

Our young tree of freedom grace;

God, our Master! Guide and prosper,

Serbian lands and Serbian race!

 

Lord! Avert from us Thy vengeance,

Thunder of Thy dreaded ire;

Bless each Serbian town and hamlet,

Mountain, meadow, heart and spire!

 

When our host goes forth to battle

Death or victory to embrace-

God, our Master! Guide and prosper,

Serbian lands and Serbian race!

 

On our sepulchre of ages

Breaks the resurrection morn,

From the slough of direst slavery

Serbia anew is born.

 

Through five hundred years of durance

We have knelt before Thy face,

All our kin, O God! Deliver

Thus entreats the Serbian race!

 

The anthem is performed by the RTS Choir. Video footage was taken from the films "Serbia: The Place To Be - Culture" and "Serbia: The Place To Be - Nature" by courtesy of the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia.