TODAY

September 04, 2020

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: SEPTEMBER 4

New edition

This day is here in Denmark 4 hours and 23 minutes shorter than June 21. Its length is 13 hours and 43 minutes – from 06.26 to 20.09.

See more – also in English – about where you are on www.dagenslaengde.dk

TODAY’s NAME:

Today’s name is THEODORA’s DAY. She was a 17 year young Christian girl in Caesarea ( which is between Haifa and Tel Aviv in today’s Israel ). She comforted other Christians who had been condemned to death. As a punishment she was herself killed by the Romans. First they cut one of her breasts off, and then they drowned her.

In Belgium the day’s name is SAINTE ROSALIE – after a saint from Palermo in Sicily. She lived in the years 1130-66. She was in particular asked for help during times of plague.

TODAY’s EVENT:

1944: Allied forces liberate Brussels and Antwerp from the Germans.

TODAY’s QUESTION:

The British Flag Union Jack - what is the history behind that?

It is called UNION JACK. Or the UNION FLAG.

See photo below.

Why is it called that? Because it was in 1801 - more than 200 years ago - adopted as the flag for the Union (the cooperation) between three different nations: England, Scotland and Ireland. This is why it is called the Union Flag. But why is it also called Union Jack? Because the king in 1801 was called James. And the name James is in Latin language Jacobus. And a short word for Jacobus is Jack.

So Union Jack is the flag used all over England, Scotland and Northern Ireland - and also in Wales.

If you look at it you can also see, if it has been turned upside down. How do you see that? You see the red stripes going from one corner to the other. The flag is shown correctly, if those red stripes to the left are at the bottom of the white stripes - and on the top of the white stripes on the right side of the flag. Many people do not know that. So often they put Union Jack in a wrong way. Now YOU know what is the correct way to show the flag. And you can tell people about it.

But how was Union Jack made into the look it has?

It was made as a combination of the flags of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Here is England's very old flag - with Saint George's red cross ( see below ).

As you see it is a white flag with a red cross in the middle.

And here is Scotland's old flag - with Saint Andrew's white cross on a blue background:

See photo below.

And finally, Ireland's old Saint Patrick's flag with a red cross on white background ( photo below )

All three flags have a cross. Why? Because all three nations were - and are - Christian nations. And as you know the symbol for Christianity is always a cross.

How is Union Jack then made from those three flags? You start with the English flag. Then you put the Scottish flag on the top of it. And finally you put the Irish flag on the top of both of them. But you have to make the red cross in the Irish flag more narrow. If you do not do that, you cannot see anything of the white Scottish cross. You see?

Hello there, where is Wales in all that? They are also part of Britain, the United Kingdom. They were for a very long time covered by the English flag - also in 1801, when Union Jack was made. But later Wales has also got its own flag. It is called the Red Dragon. See below.

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

Australia's flag - how does it look like? And what is the history behind it?

47 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT EUROPE:

EUROPE AT WORK www.europe-at-work.be

TODAY’s QUOTE & FAMOUS PEOPLE :

1. Yesterday’s quote:

It is not advisable for an artist to marry. An unhappy marriage can perhaps

contribute to his talent. But a happy marriage is a very bad idea for him.

This was said by the Russian author Ivan Tugenjev ("Fathers and Sons").

2. Today’s quote:

The question: Who should be boss? is like asking: Who should be tenor in the

quartet? The man who can sing tenor, of course.