Brazil: Flag Day

Dia da Bandeira, 19 November

Last modified: 2010-10-23 by ian macdonald
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• Flag Burning Ceremony

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Flag Burning Ceremony

Article 32 of the Brazilian flag law says, "Flags in a bad state of repair should be delivered to any military unit to be incinerated on Flag Day [19 November] according to the special ceremonial procedure." The Armed Forces Regulation on Honors, Salutes, Signs of Respect, and Military Ceremonial, 8 August 2000, sets out this ceremonial procedure in article 162:

• The flags to be incinerated are deposited on a pyre or in a metal receptacle located near the flag pole where the Flag Day flag-hoisting ceremony is to take place [a special ceremonial raising of the flag at noon before the assembled troops], and soaked with alcohol.
• The commander directs the reading of the Order of the Day, setting out the significance of the day and of the ceremonies.
• After the reading, a party consisting of the oldest member of the unit and the best turned-out set fire to the flags.
• The flags having been incinerated, the ceremony proceeds with the singing of the "Hymn to the Flag." In the navy, the singing is preceded by a 21-gun salute.
The ashes are placed in an urn and buried at an appropriate location on the military post or cast into the sea in the case of a ship. Apparently, state military police units (which are sort a like a gendarmerie, but under state rather than federal authority) also conduct this ceremony.

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