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Santa Rita de Caldas, Minas Gerais (Brazil)

image by Dirk Schönberger, 6 September 2010
Source: adapted from http://cid-57cc02038c003794.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Documents

About the flag

About the Flag

An off-centred red cross, fimbriated white, on a dark blue field, a white disk on the cross bearing the municipal arms.

Official website at http://www.santaritamg.com.br/. The flag was adapted from andregoth's data at http://cid-57cc02038c003794.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Documents.
Dirk Schönberger, 6 September 2010

The symbols are presented in great detail on the municipal website (menus "Cultura", "Simbolos Municipais").

The municipal symbols of Santa Rita de Caldas - flag and coat of arms - are prescribed by Municipal Law No. 753, adopted on 4 October 1976. The symbols were selected in a public contest prescribed by Municipal Law No. 705, adopted on 26 May 1976.

The municipal flag, designed by the heraldist and vexillologist Arcinoé Antônio Peixoto de Faria, is blue with a red cross fimbriated in white and the municipal coat of arms placed on a white disk over the cross's arms. Taking the width of the red cross as the size unit, the cross shall have a total (red and white stripes) size of two units (that is, white-red-white with proportions 1:2:1); the intersection of the arms shall be placed six units from the flag's fly (that is, blue field-cross-blue field with proportions 1:1:2); the disk charged with the arms shall have a circumference of eight units. In agreement with the rules of heraldry, the municipal flag shall have the same proportions as the national flag, that is 14 x 20 units (7:10).

The flag follows the canons and rules of municipal vexillology, in agreement with the traditions of the Portuguese heraldry, that is, a flag divided into three, four, six or eight quarters, using as the main colour the color of the field of the municipal coat of arms, and charged in the center or at fly with a geometric figure enclosing the municipal coat of arms. Therefore, the municipal flag of Santa Rita de Caldas is quartered, to recall the Christian faith of the inhabitants of the town. The coat of arms placed on the flag represents the municipal administration, while the white disk represents the seat of the municipality. The disk / circle is the heraldic symbol of eternity, being a geometric figure without either a beginning or an end; the white color is a symbol of peace, friendship, work, prosperity, purity and religious faith.

The cross represents the influence of the municipal power over the whole municipal territory. Red is the symbol of commitment, patriotism, audacity, intrepidity, courage and valiance. The blue quarters represent the rural estates spread over the municipal territory. Blue is the symbol of justice, nobleness, perseverance, zeal, loyalty, pleasure and beauty.

The municipal coat of arms, also designed by Arcinoé Antônio Peixoto de Faria, is made of a Samnite shield surmounted by a mural crown argent with six towers argent port gules. The shield is azure a quatrefoil of the same bordered argent charged with an eight-pointed star or flanked by two oxen's heads argent, a chief argent charged with the portrait of St. Rita proper. The shield is flanked by two chimneys gules with smoke argent, standing each on a gear argent. The scroll gules placed below the shield is charged with the writing argent 1852 / SANTA RITA DE CALDAS / 1943.

The Samnitic shield was the first style of shield introduced to Portugal by the French influence; it was reused by the Brazilian heraldry to evoke the colonization and building of the country. The mural crown with six towers represents a town of third order, that is a municipal seat; the red ports represent the values shared by the pioneers and the leaders of the community. Azure is the symbol of justice, nobleness, perseverance, zeal, loyalty, pleasure and beauty. The quatrefoil charged with the star or is the main charge of the arms of the Carvalho family, recalling the founder of the town, Antônio Martins de Carvalho. Or is a symbol of glory, splendor, wealth, greatness and sovereignty. The oxen's head represent cattle-breeding, one of the main sources of income in the municipality. St. Rita is the patron saint of the town. The chimneys and gears recalls processing industry in the municipality. Argent is the symbol of peace, friendship, work, prosperity, purity and religious faith. The dates on the scroll recall the foundation of the settlement (19 May 1852, when the Bishopric of São Paulo allowed the building of a chapel dedicated to Santa Rita) and its erection as a municipality (Law No. 1058 of 31 December 1943).

St. Rita of Cascia (1381-1457; canonized on 24 May 1900) is an Italian Augustinian saint, aka "The Saint of the Impossible" http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13064a.htm.

Ivan Sache, 11 September 2010