Passing of the Pope

janeweller · 21 April 2025 16:17

Hi, can you advise if council offices should lower flag half mast as the palace has done? I have read the other comment

strevor · 22 April 2025 10:21

I too was wondering this.

janeweller · 22 April 2025 10:34

We have lowered our flag to half mast in respect

Andrea · 24 April 2025 16:33

The Lord Mayor has written a condolence message to the local catholic Bishop and the Vatican. We haven’t lowered our flag as no instructions have been received.

Civic_David · 25 April 2025 07:47

The following message did come out via the College of Arms on Monday morning, but I never see anything from gov.uk

College of Arms

His Holiness Pope Francis: Flag Instructions

Following the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, special instructions have been received that as a mark of respect, where possible UK Government Buildings are asked to lower their Union Flags to half-mast from as soon as possible until 20.00hrs on Tuesday 22 April 2025.

Any other UK national flags flown alongside the Union Flag when it is at half-mast should also be at half-mast. If a flag of a foreign nation is normally flown on the same stand as, or instead of, the Union Flag, it should be removed.

Local authorities are not bound by this request but may wish to follow it for guidance. Devolved administrations are responsible for issuing instructions for the flying of the Union Flag on buildings in their estate and others as necessary.

Enquiries regarding the correct protocols for the flying of Union and other flags should be addressed to the Officer in Waiting at the College of Arms in the first instance.