Vatican City Flag Colors & Meaning

Vatican City flag
Color Palette
ColorsHEX CodeRGBCMYK
Yellow#FFE000255, 224, 00, 12, 100, 0
White#FFFFFF255, 255, 2550, 0, 0, 0

The Vatican City flag features two vertical bands of yellow (gold) and white. The yellow band is on the hoist side, symbolizing the golden key of Heaven, indicating the spiritual authority of the Pope. The white band, representing purity and peace, holds the Vatican City emblem: the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the Papal Tiara. The silver and gold keys denote spiritual and worldly powers, respectively. This emblem encapsulates the dual responsibility of the papacy: to its followers and to the governance of the Vatican City. The color combination of yellow and white also reflects the traditional colors of the papacy, further emphasizing the flag’s representation of the Holy See and its sovereignty as an independent city-state. This design, adopted in 1929, underscores the Vatican’s significance in religious and global affairs.