TWO RAVENS rose

The ship with the two ravens.

When visiting Lisbon, you will see the image of a ship with two ravens everywhere. They are drawn in black and white mosaic on the pavements in Rossio Square, on the city's lamp posts, taxis and police officers’ badges. This is the symbol of the city, and refers to Saint Vincent of Saragossa, who is the patron saint of Lisbon. Saint Vincent was born at Huesca and martyred under the Emperor Diocletian around the year 304.

According to legend, after his death ravens protected St. Vincent's body from being devoured by wild animals, until his followers could recover the body. His body was then taken to what is now known as Cape St. Vincent, in the Algarve (south of Portugal), where a shrine was erected over his grave, which continued to be guarded by ravens. In 1173, Portugal's first king, King Afonso Henriques, had the body of the saint exhumed and brought by ship to the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon. The king made him the city's patron saint. Two of the ravens that guarded the saint's grave are said to have made the trip all the way to Lisbon, still protecting the saint's remains.

This is why the symbol of the city is a ship with two ravens. Saint Vincent’s day is celebrated on January 22.”