Order of the Redeemer

Order of the Redeemer
Τάγμα του Σωτήρος
Order of the Redeemer; Τάγμα του Σωτήρος ;
	Star of the Order of the Redeemer
Awarded by the President of the Hellenic Republic
Type	Order
Established	1975; 49 years ago
Motto	Η ΔΕΞΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΧΕΙΡ, ΚΥΡΙΕ, ΔΕΔΟΞΑΣΤΑΙ ΕΝ ΙΣΧΥΙ (Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power.)
Awarded for	exceptional services to Greece
Status	Currently constituted
Grades	Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Gold Cross, Silver Cross
Precedence
Next (higher)	None
Next (lower)	Order of the Phoenix (1926–1935); Order of Honour (since 1975)
	; Ribbon bar; ;

Royal Order of the Redeemer
Τάγμα του Σωτήρος
Royal Order of the Redeemer; Τάγμα του Σωτήρος ;
	Star of the Royal Order of the Redeemer
Awarded by ; Head of the Royal House of Glücksburg-Greece
Type	Dynastic Order
Established	20 May 1833; 191 years ago
Motto	Η ΔΕΞΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΧΕΙΡ, ΚΥΡΙΕ, ΔΕΔΟΞΑΣΤΑΙ ΕΝ ΙΣΧΥΙ (Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power.)
Awarded for	exceptional services to Greece
Status	Rarely constituted
Sovereign	Crown Prince Pavlos
Grand Master	Crown Princess Marie-Chantal
Grades	Knight Grand Cross; Knight Grand Officer; Knight Commander; Knight Officer; Knight
Precedence
Next (higher)	None
Next (lower)	Order of Saints George and Constantine; Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
	; Ribbon bar; ;

Royal Order of the Redeemer

The Royal Order of the Redeemer (Template:Lang-el), is an order of knighthood of the Greek Royal Family that was established in 1833 by King Otto I.

It is conferred by the Head of the Royal House of Greece as a dynastic Decoration for themself, their spouse and their children as well as those who they deem worthy and also Greek and foreign individuals.

After the abolition of the Kingdom of Greece and its replacement by the Third Hellenic Republic, all orders and decorations of knighthood were disbanded as state orders (although retained as dynastic house orders by the Greek Royal Family) and replaced by republican versions of the orders of knighthood, including this order which is currently awarded by the two entities but as separate orders with their own statutes.

Establishment

The establishment of the Order of the Redeemer was decided by the Fourth National Assembly at Argos in 1829, during the final year of the Greek War of Independence.^[1] The decision was not immediately implemented, however, and the relevant decree was signed in Nafplio by the Regency Council (Josef Ludwig von Armansperg, Karl von Abel and Georg Ludwig von Maurer) in the name of King Otto on May 20, 1833.^[2]^[3] According to the decree of establishment, the name of the Order "shall recall the, by divine assistance miraculously and fortuitously accomplished, salvation of Greece".^[2]

Grades and award criteria

Since its establishment in 1833, and in common with all Greek orders of merit, the Order of the Redeemer has five classes:^[2]

Knight Grand Cross ('Μεγαλόσταυρος') – wears the badge of the Order on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
Knight Grand Officer ('Ανώτερος Ταξιάρχης') – wears the badge of the Order on a necklet (bow badge for women), and the star of the Order on the left chest;
Knight Commander ('Ταξιάρχης') - wears the badge of the Order on a necklet (bow badge for women);
Knight Officer ('Χρυσούς Σταυρός') – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest (bow badge for women);
Knight ('Αργυρούς Σταυρός') – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest (bow badge for women).

According to the original decree, the Order was to be awarded to those Greek citizens who took part in the War of Independence, or "who should distinguish themselves henceforth in any branch of public service, in the army and navy, in the diplomatic and judicial corps, in public administration, in the arts, science, agriculture and industry, commerce, or should distinguish themselves in any other social field through outstanding civic virtue, and through illustrious services to the Throne, for the Glory of the Hellenic name and for the welfare of the fatherland", while foreigners were admitted either for past services to Greece, or due to their ability "to bring honour to the Order, through their outstanding personal virtues and excellence".^[2]

The original decree set specific limits on the number of awards: while the grade of Knight could be awarded at will, Knight Officer was limited to 120, Knight Commanders to 30, Knight Grand Officers to 20, and Knight Grand Crosses to 12. Foreign recipients, the monarch, the consort and members of the Greek royal family did not count to these totals.^[2]

The first person to be awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer was King Ludwig I of Bavaria, the father of King Otto I, in 1833.^[1] Other distinguished recipients included Andreas Miaoulis in 1835, Baron Guenther Heinrich von Berg on 21 February 1837 Petrobey Mavromichalis, Alexandros Mavrokordatos and Lazaros Kountouriotis in 1836, Andreas Zaimis, Theodoros Kolokotronis and Georgios Kountouriotis in 1837, and Konstantinos Kanaris in 1864.

Insignia

The form of the various insignias has been altered a number of times since the establishment of the order.

The original decree of 1833 described the badge of the Order as consisting of a white enamelled Maltese cross (silver for the Silver Cross, gold for the higher grades), surmounted by a crown, set on a green enamelled wreath, one half of which is an oak branch and the other half a laurel branch.^[2] The obverse featured a white cross on a blue background (the coat of arms of Greece) with Otto's Bavarian arms in an inescutcheon in the centre, surrounded by this inscription on an outer ring: Η ΔΕΞΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΧΕΙΡ, ΚΥΡΙΕ, ΔΕΔΟΞΑΣΤΑΙ ΕΝ ΙΣΧΥΙ ("Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power", Exodus, 15:6).^[2] The reverse featured a portrait of Otto with the circular inscription: ΟΘΩΝ, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ ("Otto, King of Greece").^[2]

Badge of the Order since 1863, obverse on the left and reverse on the right. Under the monarchy, a royal crown surmounted the cross.

After Otto's deposition in 1863, his portrait was removed and substituted by an icon of Jesus, the Redeemer of Orthodox Christian soteriology. This resulted in the wearing of this side as the obverse, with the national coat of arms (purged of the Bavarian escutcheon) relegated to the reverse, and the inscriptions correspondingly changed: the obverse's inscription remained in place, and the reverse came to feature a new inscription: Η ΕΝ ΑΡΓΕΙ Δ´ ΕΘΝΙΚΗ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΣΥΝΕΛΕΥΣΙΣ - 1829 ("The IV National Assembly of the Hellenes at Argos – 1829").^[1]

The star of the Order is an eight-pointed faceted silver star with the same central disc as on the badge of the Order. At first the stars were embroidered, but eventually, they were made of solid silver, a practice that continues to this day.^[1]

The ribbon of the Order is light blue, edged with white, reflecting the national colours of Greece.^[1]

Recipients

Order of the Redeemer

The Order of the Redeemer (Template:Lang-el), also known as the Order of the Saviour,^[4] is an order of merit of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state.

Establishment

Established in 1975 by law no.849/1975, using the same name and same insignia as that of the order instituted in the previous governance of the Kingdom of Greece, although a separate order with different statutes. The republican order was initially adopted from the royal order in 1926, during the Second Hellenic Republic, however was never officially constituted by any laws or statutes, until the establishment of the current Third Hellenic Republic in 1975.^[2]

Grades and award criteria

In common with all Greek orders of merit, the Order of the Redeemer has five classes:^[1]^[2]

Grand Cross ('Μεγαλόσταυρος') – wears the badge of the Order on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
Grand Officer ('Ανώτερος Ταξιάρχης') – wears the badge of the Order on a necklet, and the star of the Order on the right chest;
Commander ('Ταξιάρχης') - wears the badge of the Order on a necklet;
Gold Cross ('Χρυσούς Σταυρός') – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
Silver Cross ('Αργυρούς Σταυρός') – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.

The Order is to be awarded to those Greek citizens "who should distinguish themselves henceforth in any branch of public service, in the army and navy, in the diplomatic and judicial corps, in public administration, in the arts, science, agriculture and industry, commerce, or should distinguish themselves in any other social field through outstanding civic virtue, and through illustrious services to the state, for the Glory of the Hellenic name and for the welfare of the fatherland", while foreigners were admitted either for past services to Greece, or due to their ability "to bring honour to the Order, through their outstanding personal virtues and excellence".^[2]

In modern times, in practice the Grand Cross is awarded only to foreign heads of state (and their consorts, if a monarchy).^[1]

Insignia

The form of insignia is based on the same instituted order from the timeline of the Kingdom of Greece, with minor differences, the most obvious being the removal of the crown during the periods of republican rule. The present form of insignias is regulated by Presidential Decree 849/1975 (ΦΕΚ 273 Α΄/4-12-1975).

The badge of the Order consists of a white enamelled Maltese cross (silver for the Silver Cross, gold for the higher grades), set on a green enamelled wreath, one half of which is an oak branch and the other half a laurel branch.^[2] The obverse features a white cross on a blue background (the coat of arms of Greece) with an inescutcheon in the centre, surrounded by this inscription on an outer ring: Η ΔΕΞΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΧΕΙΡ, ΚΥΡΙΕ, ΔΕΔΟΞΑΣΤΑΙ ΕΝ ΙΣΧΥΙ ("Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power", Exodus, 15:6).^[2]

Badge of the Order since 1975, obverse on the left and reverse on the right. Under the monarchy, a royal crown surmounted the cross.

After the abolishment of the Kingdom of Greece, the Crown and royal coat of arms were removed with the latter being replaced by the coat of arms of the republic.^[1]

The star of the Order is an eight-pointed faceted silver star with the same central disc as on the badge of the Order. At first the stars were embroidered, but eventually, they were made of solid silver, a practice that continues to this day.^[1]

The ribbon of the Order is light blue, edged with white, reflecting the national colours of Greece.^[1]

Recipients

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Hellenic Orders and Decorations: Order of the Redeemer". Presidency of the Hellenic Republic. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m A.I. Kladis (1837). Κεφάλαιον Όγδοον. Περί της συστάσεως Τάγματος Αριστείας δια το Βασίλειον της Ελλάδος. [Chapter Eight. On the establishment of an Order of Merit for the Kingdom of Greece]. ΕΦΕΤΗΡΙΣ (Almanach) του Βασιλείου της Ελλάδος δια το έτος 1837. Athens: Βασιλική Τυπογραφία και Λιθογραφία. pp. 123–136.
^ (Government Gazette 19, issue A, dated 20 Jan. 1833)
^ "Americans decorated" (PDF). New York Times. September 12, 1906. Retrieved December 19, 2010.

External links

The Greek Royal Orders

Greek orders timeline
Orders by precedence	1832–1909	1910s		1920s			1930s			1940s				1950s	1960s	1970–present
Order of the Redeemer	.																Rep.
Order of Honour																		Rep.
Order of Saints George and Constantine									.			.					.	Dynastic
Order of Saints Olga and Sophia									.			.					.	Dynastic
Order of George I			.					.				.					.	Dynastic
Order of the Phoenix						.												Rep.
Order of Beneficence													.					Rep.
Years
Regime	Monarchy				Republic			Mon.			Rep.	Monarchy					Rep.
	1832–1909	1910s		1920s			1930s			1940s				1950s	1960s	1970–present

[Presidency-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Hellenic Orders and Decorations: Order of the Redeemer". Presidency of the Hellenic Republic. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2013.

[Establishment-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m A.I. Kladis (1837). Κεφάλαιον Όγδοον. Περί της συστάσεως Τάγματος Αριστείας δια το Βασίλειον της Ελλάδος. [Chapter Eight. On the establishment of an Order of Merit for the Kingdom of Greece]. ΕΦΕΤΗΡΙΣ (Almanach) του Βασιλείου της Ελλάδος δια το έτος 1837. Athens: Βασιλική Τυπογραφία και Λιθογραφία. pp. 123–136.

[3] (Government Gazette 19, issue A, dated 20 Jan. 1833)

[4] "Americans decorated" (PDF). New York Times. September 12, 1906. Retrieved December 19, 2010.

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[2]

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Royal Order of the Redeemer

Establishment

Grades and award criteria

Insignia

Recipients

Order of the Redeemer

Establishment

Grades and award criteria

Insignia

Recipients

References

Further reading

External links