Hellenic Flag waving under medium north winds. Description: Nine horizontal stripes, in turn blue and white; a white cross on a blue square field in canton. Proportion: 2:3 Use: on land, as the civil, state and war flag; at sea, as the civil, state and war ensign. The striped flag has been in use since 1822, and was approved in 1832. The nine stripes are said to stand for the nine syllables of the Greek patriots' motto: Ελευθερια η Θανατος (Eleutheria ê Thanatos), meaning "Freedom or Death". This motto is now the national motto of Greece. Although the official Hellenic flag (striped version) flies over all government installations - including those of the Hellenic Armed Forces - Hellenic Army units always parade with the simple cross flag. Music: Invisible - Protectors of the Earth