Saint Andrew's Cross

Cruz de San Andrés

Martirio de San Andrés.

The St. Andrew's Cross or crux decussata (×) is a cross in the shape of an X (usually with two acute angles). and two obtuse angles) widely used in heraldry and vexillology. It represents the martyrdom of Saint Andrew, the apostle, according to a very old tradition that says that the apostle was crucified in Patras, capital of the province of Achaia, in Greece. They tied him to a cross in the shape of an X and there he suffered for three days, which he took advantage of to preach and instruct all who approached him in religion.

It is a representation of humility and suffering and in heraldry it symbolizes the undefeated leader in combat.

A variant of the Saint Andrew's Cross is the Cross of Burgundy.

The Cross of Saint Andrew on the national flag of Scotland

Flag of Scotland

St Andrew's Cross, also known as saltire, is the national flag of Scotland, which in Scottish Gaelic is called bratach na h-Alba. The white cross that presides over it is the symbol that represents the crucifixion of Saint Andrew the Apostle, patron saint of Scotland. The background color of the flag is navy blue, although it is common to see it also in light blue. Following the recommendations given by the Scottish Parliament for its use, the Scottish government has ruled that it should be flown, as far as possible, on all official buildings, every day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. m. until sunset.

The cross of Saint Andrew in Spanish aviation

EADS CASA C-101 of the Spanish Air Army in which it is observed, apart from the Spanish scarapela in red and gualda, the cross of Saint Andrew black on white background on the plane's drift.

During the Spanish Civil War, the planes of the insurgent side displayed Saint Andrew's crosses on their drifts and rudders. Sometimes also in fuselage and wings. On other occasions on the wings inside the round black cockade used as a badge, with the white cross in this case. The fuselage often bears the coat of arms of the Falange, and also, although less frequently, the bicolor Spanish cockade. Since the victory of the national troops, the colors of the Spanish military apparatus have been standardized with the national cockade on the fuselage and wings and the cross of San Andrés on the drift.

ANOTHER OPINION: When in August 1936, what should have been an "uprising", or coup d'état, in just a few days, turned into a Civil War. In the first days of July and August of 1936 we find ourselves with the same planes and with the same insignia or banners, which will lead to unwanted demolition given the confusion. The other aircraft are fought according to their direction of arrival at the front. To avoid such situations, the insurgent command orders to CROSS OUT their republican flag, located on the tail and wings, with black crosses, by handwritten order. Said deletions will appear on the wings and tail rudder, above the Republican flag. Black circles are also introduced, which on occasion, and only in 1936, will be double, in the shape of an eight, in black. In the first months the rebel side will also introduce black, straight stripes on the wing planes. Black and white are basic colors, readily available, and without interpretations. The cross of San Andrés, although we find it standardized today, has nothing to do with its origin. And much less is it inherited from the glorious Spanish Tercios. This one, the one with the tercios, was red and splintered, not straight and black. The appearance of the bicolor cockade will not occur until well into the year 40

Currently, only those of the Air Force, Civil Guard and Army carry the cross of San Andrés on the drift of the aircraft. The Navy changed the cross of Saint Andrew for the shield of the Naval Aviation. The National Police, being civilian, does not wear the cross of Saint Andrew.

A Mirage F.1M of the Spanish Air Army in 2009 with NATO standard camouflage and low visibility distinctives, including the cross of St Andrew in combination of greys on the plane's drift.

The mandatory adoption of standard NATO camouflage by all NATO combat aircraft, and the consequent disappearance of cockade colors on most combat aircraft, has led to the adoption of monochrome low-visibility markings of gray color. In this sense, countries that traditionally did not use colored cockades on their aircraft, but symbols, such as the United States with its star with bars in the shape of wings, the Teutonic cross of the Luftwaffe, the Canadian leaf, the Australian kangaroo or the cross of San Andrés of Spain, have found themselves with a comparative advantage, since these symbols are easily identifiable in the absence of colors.

Use in mathematics

• The cross of St Andrew is the symbol "by" (×) of multiplication.

Computer writing