
Last modified: 2017-05-31 by ian macdonald
Keywords: minas gerais | paraisopolis | cross (red) | cross (white) | lozenge (white) | coat of arms | 
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The flag is blue with a white cross overlaid with a red cross.  The coat of 
arms is placed on a white lozenge upon a white square on the center.  The 
coat of arms is "azure on an inescutcheon or a lily proper, the inescutcheon 
supported by two cherubim argent; in base on a "mantel" or a 
cattleman's-style hunting horn gules."  I'm not 
sure what a mantel is in English heraldic language; it is like a division 
per chevron, but with concave dividing lines.  The inescutcheon 
represents St. Joseph, patron of the city and the cherubim the constant 
winds in the mountain region, the whole being a canting charge for the 
original name of the settlement, São José da Ventania (St. Joseph of the 
Winds).  The blue field is said to represent the heavens or, more precisely, 
the paradise of the city's name.  The yellow "mantel" represents the 
mountains and the horn represents stock-raising.  (In addition, the colors 
are given the customary catalogue of "heraldic" significances.)  The 
supporters are two branches of coffee, while the scroll is inscribed with 
the name of the municipality, the dates that it was established (25 
January 1873), and the date that its surrounding judicial circuit (comarca) was 
established (3 December 1884).
Joseph McMillan, 18 March 2002
The coat of arms and flag were adopted 
by law 549 of 1 November 1967.
Joseph McMillan, 17 March 2003