The Vatican flag is square, consisting of two vertical rectangles of equal area, yellow on the side of the flagpole and white on the other side. White is also painted with the Pope's pastoral emblem: two crossed St. Peter's keys and a pope's triple crown. Yellow and white are the two keys of St. Peter, the elder of the twelve apostles of Jesus, representing two of the most precious metals: gold and silver. The pastoral emblem of the Pope is a symbol of supremacy. The gold and silver colours on the flag are the colours of the Cap badges of the Swiss Guard of the Holy See since February 1808. Pope Liang XII fixed the flag in 1825.