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Last modified: 2026-02-21 by martin karner
Keywords: greek orthodox church | cross (white) | cross (red) | brotherhood of the sepulcher | tau | phi |
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![[Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher]](../images/r/rel-taph.gif)
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 19 August 2010
A number of Greek Orthodox institutions in Middle East fly a white
flag in what looked like 3:4 proportions with a wide red cross and on
the center a monogram of the Greek letters Τ and Φ
in yellow. This same monogram appears carved in stone on properties
(churches, monasteries, schools) belonging to the Greek Orthodox
Patriarchate of Jerusalem. According to Stephen C. Doyle's
Pilgrim's New Guide to the Holy Land the monogram represents
the Greek word ταφος (taphos), meaning "tomb" or
"sepulcher".
Joseph McMillan, 27 April 2000
The Taphos flag is indeed the flag of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher. The Brotherhood and the
Patriarchate are essentially the same organization, and so the Taphos is used as the symbol of the
Patriarchate as well.
Archimandrite Maximos (Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem Patriarchate), 26 July 2004
According to the officials of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the 'T' and 'Φ'
of the flag come from the Greek words "Φύλακες Τάφου", meaning "Tomb Guardians".
Dimitris Kiminas, 21 January 2012
![[Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher]](../images/r/rel-taph2.gif)
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 19 August
2010
I saw the flag not only in Jerusalem, but flying above a Greek
Orthodox boys' school in Madaba, Jordan.
In one case, the colors were reversed (red flag with white cross and
red monogram). At a number of these sites, the Greek national flag
was also flying.
Joseph McMillan, 27 April 2000
![[Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher]](../images/r/rel-taph3.gif)
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 19 August
2010
When looking on Google Earth, I came across this photograph of
the Church there, where one can see a flag
[retrieved | picture]
(located in Qasr al-Yahud,
Jesus baptismal site). The central monogram is gold.
Esteban Rivera,
11 August 2010
After I cropped, rotated, and squeezed this flag photo to eliminate the
perspective effect (trusting that both cross arms are
the same width), I
realize that this flag is 2:3, and not longer as the photo seems to show.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 19 August
2010
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