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Via Francigena

image by Enrico Brizzi

I enclose you a picture of the flag of our organization named FRANCIGENA XXI. We were walking along the ancient pilgrims' way named in Latin VIA FRANCIGENA from Canterbury to Rome (April 29 - August 5). The flag shows the arms of Canterbury and Rome, a Byzantian-era dove and two laurel wraps with the writing "VIA FRANCIGENA 2006". You can find some more information (in Italian) at the webpage www.francigena21.com
Enrico Brizzi, 18 October 2006

About the VIA FRANCIGENA, it's interesting that no official flag exists, quite disappointing if you think that VIA FRANCIGENA is since 1994 between European Union "European cultural itineraries" ("Itinerari culturali europei" in Italian). In England and in France, almost half of the entire distance between Canterbury and Rome, the way is not signposted, but in the Canton Valais (CH) and Italy, many municipalities and volunteers have signposted it with plates and spray paint, many using the VF white letters for Via Francigena, many others using the pilgrim logo you can see on many publications about this wonderful path crossing 4 European nations. This logo is also adopted (this year in a new euro-flavoured version) by the "Associazione Italiana dei comuni lungo la via Francigena. Percorso di Sigerico" ("Italian municipalities along the Via Francigena - Sigeric way").

image by Enrico Brizzi

During my trip along the pilgrims' path to Rome, I spotted a pilgrim-logo-based flag on the building of Cassio (Parma province) pilgrims' hostel. Many other goods such as t-shirts, caps and so on were for sale inside the hostel, every one of them showing the pilgrim logo, but the flag was not for sale.
Enrico Brizzi, 19 October 2006