Sacred Heart of Jesus, Hope and salvation of France.

At a market recently I found a very worn and stained French flag. I couldn't resist buying it as it had an embroidered Sacred Heart of Jesus in its centre, a religious emblem I love. I didn't pay much attention to what else was on the flag at the time as I was buying other things from the same stall.

In the last few days, I finally got round to photographing it and started researching the meaning of the military ribbons that were pinned on it. The flag I have found is completely discoloured, very stained and faded but it is a fantastic piece of French history as well as a personal story!

The text embroidered in French around the Sacred Heart translates as 'Sacred Heart of Jesus - Hope and salvation of France'. These types of flags were apparently given to soldiers from the First World War. In 1915, the convent in Paray-Le-Monial and the basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris started sending flags to the soldiers that requested them. Some badges, small pennants or scapulars were also widely produced. 12 million badges and over 30,000 flags have been distibuted. Not long after, in August 1917, the goverment decided to ban religious signs on uniforms; I found this information in a very detailed article in French: https://fr.aleteia.org/2023/11/10/la-devotion-au-sacre-coeur-pendant-la-grande-guerre/

This flag has a story; a soldier has kept the flag with him the whole time he was fighting. After the war, it must have been pinned on a wall for a long time as there are holes at each corner. One corner also has some rust marks left by a round thumbtack or nail.

What makes the flag quite special is that it tells a part of the story of the original owner. Five badges are attached to the flag. They are military medal ribbons. They all have different meanings: the red one at the top indicates the soldier fought in Verdun. The tricolor one at the bottom indicates the soldier was injured. One is for the commemoration of the war (red and white), one other was given to fighters (blue and red). The rainbow one at the top is for the Victory ('médaille interalliée').

At the bottom of the flag was attached a reliquary from Lisieux. On one side we can read in French 'Fabric that touched Saint Therese of The Infant Jesus'. On the other side there is the shield of the Carmelite Monastery in Lisieux. These type of relics were always produced and sold by the Carmel. A small piece of material can be felt inside.

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A date is written in pencil near the Victory ribbon at the top. It seems to be 1918.

The full story can only be imagined after this, as there are no names and the decorations aren't specific enough. But here we have a soldier, probabaly a young man, who faithfully kept his flag through the war, including some its most brutal engagements. The flag, reliquary attached, was emblematic of his faith and prayers for victory. I like to think he kept it with pride for years afterwards but I'm aware I am slipping in fantasy. This is what makes this job so fascinating: a small find in a field in the French countryside and a whole history is attached to it!