Britain has been ordered by the European Union to fly the blue and yellow EU flag all of this week in celebration of the EU’s “Europe Day” on Monday.

All government bodies that administer any EU funds are required to hoist the alien flag from May 9 on pain of severe fines should they refuse.

The EU has also sent British schools propaganda material on how to celebrate Europe Day, with recommendations such as the holding of special EU-themed assemblies, accepting only euro notes in the tuckshop (cafeteria), singing other EU countries’ national anthems and writing short stories praising Europe.

Europe Day was created by decree in 1985 to establish an annual celebration of EU “achievements,” including, for instance, that it—rather than nato and the United States—has kept the peace in Europe since World War ii. It officially marks the anniversary of French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman’s call in 1950 for a coal and steel community, the forerunner of the EU.

The British coalition government is divided on the issue. While Conservatives, including the prime minister at 10 Downing Street and the Foreign Office, will refuse to fly the EU 12-star flag, their Liberal Democrat partners and the Department for Business, headed by Vince Cable, will obediently do so. British embassies and other overseas diplomatic missions have been allowed to make their own decisions over whether or not to fly it.

Last year, Britain was fined more than £150 million for failing to display the EU flag on a string of “Regional Development” projects part-funded by the EU. This January, Britain’s National Audit Office revealed that the nation had been hit with £1 billion in penalties for failing to meet onerous EU agricultural regulations.

Of course, penal impositions of flags is not new to European countries. One of the first acts of the Nazi government when it occupied a country, such as France, Belgium, Holland, Poland and so on, was to force the display of the red and black swastika flag on all public buildings, including schools and railway stations, and all major bridges. Failure to do so resulted in heavy fines, imprisonment or, if considered willful, death.

What is the origin of the EU’s blue and gold 12-star flag? You may be surprised to discover that the flag is steeped in Catholic religious symbolism. British author and lecturer Adrian Hilton wrote for the Trumpet:

Roman Catholic imagery is endemic in Europe, and has been wholeheartedly embraced by the European government. The design of the European flag was inspired by the halo of 12 stars around pictures of the Madonna, and appears prominently on the Council of Europe stained-glass window in Strasbourg Cathedral. The window was unveiled to the world on Dec. 11, 1955, coinciding with the Roman Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception.The Flag Institute has examined the evolution of the Council of Europe flag. Its director, Dr. William Crampton, confirms a report that Léon Marchal, the then secretary general of the Council, said, “It’s wonderful that we have got back to the Introit of the new Mass of the Assumption. It’s the corona stellarum duodecim [the crown of the 12 stars] of the Woman of the Apocalypse.” Dr. Crampton goes on to state, “It was Marchal, the supreme partisan of the Virgin Mary, who suggested the number 12.” He also mentions a magazine article on the flag’s design, which confirmed, “No one can deny that under these symbols Catholics recognize the presence of the infinitely merciful Queen of Peace in Christ.”When the European Union was expanded to 15 nations, the European newspaper ran an article responding to those who had expected the flag’s design to incorporate 15 stars—one star for each state—similar to the flag of the United States of America. It was confirmed that the 12 gold stars on a blue background were inspired by a picture of “Our Lady” in Strasbourg, and that they were constant as they were drawn from the 12th chapter of the book of Revelation.

Catholic Herald columnist Angelo Stagnaro wrote (emphasis mine):

When secularists parade with the European Union flag they are unwittingly honoring the Immaculate Conception. … It warms the cockles of an old Catholic’s heart. European atheists running around in the streets waving the EU flag over their heads have no idea, or choose to ignore, the true meaning behind the EU’s symbol.

This then is the symbol which is being forced upon a reluctant, nominally Protestant, Britain.

But who is the real woman of Revelation 12? What do the 12 stars really symbolize? The answer will astound you! Read our fascinating booklet The Key of David.