Three-finger salute
thumb|Elisabeth Kopp's [[oath of office after her election to the Swiss Federal Council in 1984]] The Schwurhand (, "swear-hand"; ) is a traditional hand gesture and heraldic charge (depicting the gesture) that is used in Germanic Europe and neighbouring countries, when swearing an oath in court, in office, or while swearing-in. The right hand is raised, with the index finger and middle finger extended upwards; the last two digits are curled downwards against the palm. The thumb is shown slightly curled or raised.
Article
7 sectionsContents
- Traditional use
- In Switzerland
- In The Netherlands
- Heraldic use
- Military use
- See also
- References
thumb|Elisabeth Kopp's [[oath of office after her election to the Swiss Federal Council in 1984]] The Schwurhand (, "swear-hand"; ) is a traditional hand gesture and heraldic charge (depicting the gesture) that is used in Germanic Europe and neighbouring countries, when swearing an oath in court, in office, or while swearing-in. The right hand is raised, with the index finger and middle finger extended upwards; the last two digits are curled downwards against the palm. The thumb is shown slightly curled or raised.
==Traditional use== The use of the gesture dates back many centuries. Recruits of the Pontifical Swiss Guard at the Vatican City use the sign when swearing their oath of allegiance to the Pope, in a ceremony performed on 6 May every year since the Sack of Rome in 1527. The use of the three digits is said to symbolise the Holy Trinity.