To the 400th anniversary of the Magdeburg law of Chernigov: historical flag

In the previous article, we considered the history of the coat of arms and seal of our city. The history of the city flag of Chernihiv is no less interesting, because its symbolism is closely related to the city seal and testifies to the influence of spragistics on the formation of images of city flags of the Hetmanship. Based on the research of Yuriy Savchuk, in Ukraine, the first mention of city flags can be found in the privilege of Sigismund I the Old to Lviv burghers on the city coat of arms from 27 January 1526 Dr.. Then the flags, on which coats of arms were depicted, are mentioned in the privileges of Korsun (1585 р.), Pereyaslav (1620 р.), Bohuslav (1620 р.), to Kozelets (1663 р.).

The description of the Chernihiv flag was made 1786 Dr.. Opanas Shafonskyi: “The magistrate of Chernihiv has, according to the old custom, a special magistrate's banner, which is used in common with guilds in ceremonial exits, triangular, and consists of a blue damask. On one side is an image of the Transfiguration of the Lord; on the sides of this image on the right - the prophet Moses, and on the left the prophet Elijah, at the foot of the onago the Holy Apostle John, Apostle Peter and Apostle James; on the other side is the former magistrate's coat of arms. Border of onago banner of yellow damask, along the edges of which, instead of a gimp, gold and silver leaf stripes and silk lace trimmed. At the top of the shaft is a wooden gilded mace and above it is the same cross..

The image of an armed warrior is worth it, famous historian Dmytro Yavornytsky visited the estate of Vasyl Tarnovsky, interpret more broadly, than only St. Vladislava. We are leaning towards that, that it was so during the Hetmanate. Before us is a generalized image of the defender of the native land. The origins of this image go back to the times of Kyivan Rus. Something similar can be seen on princely seals. You can also consider this picture as the personification of the legendary founder of Chernihiv, Prince Black. Окрім цього, 1625 Dr.. a Cossack detachment was created to protect Chernigov (by the way, this is the first documentary mention of Chernihiv Cossacks, in addition to news about the legendary Snovska Sich). Отже, interpretation of St. Vladyslav as a Cossack also has a historical basis.

Regarding the plot "Transfiguration of the Lord", then it was not by chance that it was on the city flag either. After all, in Chernihiv there is one of the oldest brick churches of Eastern Slavs - the Savior and Transfiguration Cathedral of the 11th century., which for the citizens of Chernihiv has always been the main center of faith and spirituality.

Author's team consisting of Ihor Syty, Ludmila Posmashnaya, A reconstruction of the flag was made by Serhiy Lepyavka according to the description of Opanas Shafonskyi (див. picture).

Старший науковий співробітник музею,

кандидат історичних наук Ігор Ситий