The
Cross of Saint Vladimir was an
Imperial Russian Order established in 1782 by Empress
Catherine II in memory of the deeds of
Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptizer of the
Kievan Rus.
Motto - "Benefit, Honor and Glory".
The order had four degrees and was awarded for continuous civil and military service. The color of the order ribbon is red with a black border.
First class of the order - A red cross with black and golden borders. It was born on the ribbon thrown over the right shoulder with an octagonal star made from gold and silver. It was fastened on the left side of the chest.
Second class - The red cross on the neck and the star on the left side of the chest.
Third class - The red cross of a smaller size on the neck.
Fourth class - The same on the chest.
Badge: A red
enamelled cross pattée with black enamelled borders, and a black enamelled central disc bearing a crowned red and
ermine mantle with the
monogram of St. Vladimir. Worn on a
sash by the first degree, on a
necklet by the second and third degrees, and on a chest
ribbon by the fourth degree.
Star: A four-pointed star superimposed upon a four-pointed gold star, with a golden cross pattée and the letters "CPKB" between the arms of the cross on a black enamel background at the centre surrounded by the motto of the order "Beneficence, Honour and Glory" (
Pol'za Chest' i Slava). Worn on the left chest by the first and second degrees. This motto was transferred to present-day star of the
Order of Merit of the Russian Federation, which was established in 1992 by President
Boris Yeltsin and is today the second highest ranking decoration of that country.
Ribbon: red with wide black edges.
In 1957, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the
Patriarchy restoration in Russia, the order was revived by the
Russian Orthodox Church. The order is to be awarded to priests and nuns of Orthodox church for their service to
Soviet Union and later Russia. There are three degrees of the order.
The Order of Saint Prince Vladimir (St. Vladimir Order)
People who had been awarded with the St.Vladimir Order for military merits bore it with a special fold on the ribbon - "with a bow".
There was a certain hierarchy of Russian Orders. According to this, the St. Vladimir Order, 1st Class was the second one (the first - St. George Order) by its significance.
According to the Russian Law about the Nobility, people who were awarded with the St. Vladimir Order (each class) had had the rights of hereditary nobility until the Emperor's Decree of 1900 was issued. After this only three first classes of the Order gave such a right.
Select recipients
