white. Design The coat of arms of the British Virgin Islands were blazoned by the royal warrant of 15 November 1960 as follows: Vert a Virgin proper vested Argent sandalled or holding in the dexter hand by the chain an Ancient Lamp Gold enflamed also proper between eleven like Lamps five in pale to the dexter and six in pale to the sinister, together with the motto . Symbolism The colours and objects on the coat of arms carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The woman wearing a white dress and clutching a golden oil lamp is Saint Ursula, who is both the namesake and the patron saint of the Virgin Islands. The eleven other oil lamps allude to her eleven virgin companions (other accounts assert that she actually had 11,000 followers). They were purportedly martyred by the Huns in Cologne, Germania Inferior, during the fourth or fifth century. Columbus consequently named the islands ('Saint Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins'), in honour of the aforementioned group of saints. This was abbreviated to ('The Virgins'). The motto in Latin on a ribbon scroll under the escutcheon – – means 'be vigilant'. Uses Both the shield and motto from the arms are featured on the flag of the British Virgin Islands, and on the standard of the territory's governor. In the latter banner, the escutcheon is encircled by a wreath of two green branches that are interlaced in the middle with a blue bow. See also List of coats of arms of the United Kingdom and dependencies References Sources Heraldry of the World: British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands culture Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands 1960 establishments in the British Virgin Islands