THE CONTEMPORARY GREEK FLAG

The Greek flag used today was established by Law 851/1978. It features a white cross in the upper left corner and nine equally thick horizontal stripes, alternately blue and white. The number nine alludes to the number of syllables in the phrase «Ελευθερία ή θάνατος» (“Freedom or Death”) and to the number of letters in the word «Ελευθερία» (“Freedom”). Flag Day is celebrated on 27 October, the day before the national holiday of 28 October that commemorates Greece’s rejection of Mussolini’s ultimatum in 1940.