In the text of the pact, Roerich wrote: "The Banner of Peace, as is now well-known, is the symbol of the Roerich Pact. This great humanitarian ideal provides in the field of mankind's cultural achievements the same guardianship as the
Red Cross provides in alleviating the physical sufferings of man." The origin of Roerich's idea for the creation of the Banner of Peace sign was an ancient
Russian icon by
Andrei Rublev. Roerich wrote about this in his letter to Baron
M.A. Taube: "At last I can send you a home photo of my last picture dedicated to meaning sense of the banner sign. You can show this photo to some committee members and also to anybody whom, as you believe, it may be useful. Say to all ignoramuses which try to substitute their self-interested and ill-intentioned explanations of the sense of this picture. What may be more ancient and more genuine than Byzantine conception which stretches in the depth of centuries to the origin united Christianity and so beautifully implemented in Rublev's icon "Saint life-giving Trinity" from the
Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra? Just this symbol – the symbol of ancient Christianity, consecrated for us by name of
St. Sergius, gives me a hint to our sign. Its sense is expressed on the proposed photo with conservation of all elements and their positions according to the Rublev's icon. Let this photo will be with You at Paris in the case of any new attempts to destroy already existing. In addition, I send You a photo of St. Queen of the Banner –
Madonna Oriflamma." (Letter from N.K. Roerich to Baron M. Taube, 13.02.1932.) N.K. Roerich has adduced the following illustrations of presence of the Banner of Peace components in the pictures and icons of great spiritual devotees from various religions: "Our post from various countries today brings us much news about the propagation of our Pact for protection of cultural values. We have received a copy of an ancient icon of
St Nicholas the Miracle-Worker , which is confirmed to printing by metropolitan Antony. From other regions we have received a photo of an edition of Kiev-Pecherskaya Laura press from 1860 of the service to Venerable
Sergius of Radonezh, the Miracle-Worker. From Spain we have received a picture of
St. Domingo from "Silos" (
archaeological museum, Madrid). Also from Spain we have received a picture of St. Michael made by
Bartolommeo Vermekho (1440). At all these pictures the sign of Banner of Peace can be seen. It is useful to remember this for many." '', by Hans Memling, around 1480.|alt=A painting of Christ with a crown and a mantle closed with a circular broach featuring three round stones. "The sign of the banner was also found at the Temple of Heaven. "
Tamga" of
Tamerlane consists of the same sign. The sign of Three Treasures is well known for many countries of the East. On the chest of Tibetan women one can see a large
fibula (brooch) which is the sign. The same fibulas we see also in Caucasian findings and in Scandinavia.
Madonna of Strasbourg has the same sign as well as the Spanish Saints. The same sign is on the icons of St. Sergius and St. Nicholas Miracle-Worker. The sign as a large breast fibula is depicted on Christ's breast on the well-known
H. Memling's picture. When we go over sacramental pictures of Byzantine, Roma, the same symbol ties the sacramental pictures on over the world." == Conditions of using the banner of peace sign ==