The International Committee for the Banner of Peace

Presentation of the Banner of Peace to the Catholic Church in the Cathedral of Mexico City

There are days in a lifetime that are so divine that you wish you’d never forget. The day the Franciscan Order organized a beautiful ceremony in the Metropolitan Cathedral so that the Peace Flag was given in to the Catholic Church in Mexico, is one such day.

Three thousand children from the lay Franciscan Order walked from Palacio Bellas Artes in Mexico City holding the Peace Flag. Dressed in white, these children gave the world an example of peace by touring the city’s historic center up to the entrance of the Cathedral in absolute silence.

Standing at the golden gate that fences the Cathedral Chorus, I stood waiting, overwhelmed by the honorable privilege life was giving me: DELIVERING THE PEACE FLAG TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MEXICO, TO THE ARCHBISHOP CARDINAL ERNESTO CORRIPIO AHUMADA

He was perfectly aware of the flags presence since his beloved and dearest friend, Dr Emma Godoy, a Mexican writer, had informed him of its historical background, she had shown him the Diario Oficial Mexicano of the day Mexico had accepted the flag on Aug 17th, 1937 and had also taken the Flag Creed which had been written by her after she had the closest experience to God

Emma was given the flag while bound to a wheel chair, paralyzed from the waist down, as soon as I walked toward her, with the Peace Flag in hand, which symbolizes the Holy Trinity (Three spheres forming a triangle surrounded by a circle), Emma’s body transformed itself into complete and divine harmony, leaving the wheel chair behind she walked from that moment on until the day of her death.

The miracle made her reflect on the significance and the symbolism behind Peace Flag, it has been around for more than 9,000 years, and present in various cultures across the globe symbolizing peace through its presence.

Emma wanted to leave Mankind with this legacy, and a message that would tell us about the divinity of this symbol, which left her in harmony and health. She wrote the Flag Creed as a means to cleanse her spirit. From then on I have voiced this Creed every time I’ve held the flag. There have been more than 3000 flags delivered throughout the world.

As I mentioned before, the Cardinal was aware of everything related to Emma’s miracle to help people in a state of peace and about the Peace Flag history, accepted in Mexico since 1935.

I received the flag in hand which had been brought by the Sons of Franciscan Laymen, overwhelmed by joy I grabbed in my hands pausing for a moment to feel all the high vibration.

In that moment as it usually happens, when holding the Flag you feel a special move as if it were giving us a warm welcome which transforms in our lives everything that has to be changed. All the lucky ones who happen to hold or escort the Flag have noticed a spiritual change in their lives. I have witnessed this for 22 years.

As I listened to the great organ’s keynotes, I walked down the central Cathedral’s aisle, experimenting high emotions which could also be qualified as divine.

After walking through the corridor I reached The Central Altar where I was being waited by the top ranked Franciscan clergymen and by the Archbishop who would receive the Flag in the name of the Catholic Church of Mexico.

Back then us women were not allowed to step in the Altar, so I stayed several steps below, but, to my surprise, the Cardinal invited me to join them.

I was horrified because I knew I would be the first woman in 400 hundred years to have the privilege of being in the Altar, waving the Peace Flag. I took a deep breath and I accepted the invitation, there was another woman joining in the honor, Rosarito from the Franciscan Laymen.

Everything was joy and happiness. My voice raised to give the message of the Flag’s Initiator, the illustrious artist Prf. Nicholas Roerich. I felt my voice flowing smoothly reaching everyone else’s consciousnesses which in those ceremonies reach their peace mission.

I ended the message with Roerich’s wise words:

”We have plowed the seed of peace and it shall give fruit, we are completely sure of this because great minds and hearts have already taken care of it”

Then I pronounce the Flag’s Creed, written superbly by Dr. Godoy who talked to each heart.

”CREED TO THE PEACE FLAG”

”CREDO A LA BANDERA DE LA PAZ!

DRA. EMMA GODOY DRA. ALICIA RODRIGUEZ’ VERSION

To this Universal Peace Flag we promises to Honor this symbol in the constant seek of peace.

To this Peace Flag which embodies Christ’s salutation

MAY PEACE BE WITH YOU ALL

We surrender our souls and commit ourselves by saying:

I promised not to hold hate of any kind.

Night after night I’ll clean out of all regrets and I’ll gently smile in the dark to anyone who once hurt me

We all demand that nations surrender their weapons, especially me, I will begin by leaving vengeance and retaliation behind.

I will not allow today’s youth to inherit their nations ancestral hate towards any other.

I will love all who belong to any nation, and inhabit any region of the world, I will not allow race, politics or religion to affect my love for them, because I shall overlook all that makes us different, and only see the divine essence that is present throughout mankind.

This way, there will come a day when the walls we’ve built to divide our nations shall crumble, so that no one is a stranger to any land.

I solemnly swear to be a brother to those near and far, and convince myself that we are all one, for all being children of God and love.

In essence I shall be human, I shall seek peace to become a peacemaker, so hear this promise:

My conscience…

As I finished, I came toward the cardinal and softly I asked him if he permitted me to guide a prayer and meditation. With grand generosity and understanding he obliged, and from the altar I began to pray with my soul:

”Imagine your heart is a flame, with each wish to reach infinite peace, this flame shall grow.

Until all our body is consumed and a flame with love, let this spread to our brothers who are present.

This flame for peace grows, and from this cathedral it spreads throughout the city of Mexico, to all of America, across the great oceans to distant continents inundating the planet with peace.

This flag, of peace, is a symbol of light and love that shines throughout the universe …

Let us keep this flame alive in our hearts forever…”

Silence echoed throughout the cathedral, and tears flowed down the faces of those who desperately sought peace.

Nothing came between the moment, peace and love where all that was present among us. We stood as one.

Overwhelmed with emotion I closed my eyes and dropped to my knees at the altar.

Suddenly, I was taken from such a divine state by a light tap on the left side of my waist, and I felt a belt with many knots had wrapped around me, it was so overwhelming that I could not discern between the human and the divine.

Humility and infinite peace filled my soul, and I was allowed to perceive all of its greatness, the presence of an illuminant being, that from that moment would live forever in my heart: the presence of the great messenger of peace: Saint Francis.

Thank you,
Dr. Alicia Rodriguez

Translated into English
Alexandra Navarro, Haydee Hernandez & Jorge Gomez

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Presentation of the Banner of Peace to the Catholic Church in the Cathedral of Mexico City

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