IDTG

As reported in Tuesday’s post in the blog Blog de Heráldica by José Juan Carrión Rangel, there is a proposal for the creation of a new Order of Merit in Spain, honoring those who have made significant contributions to the world of heraldry.

Here is the text (in Spanish):

TEXTO DEL PROYECTO DE REAL DECRETO

EXPOSICIÓN DE MOTIVOS

El conjunto de individuos que en España ha derrochado esfuerzos en el estudio de la heráldica, la denominada comunidad heráldica, con más de ocho siglos de existencia, ha demostrado, a lo largo de su ya dilatada vida y a través de todas las vicisitudes históricas, una dedicación y entrega sin límites al servicio de la Patria a través de la Heráldica.

Las insignes figuras que han consagrado sus esfuerzos al estudio de la Heráldica, auténticos eruditos, dedicados en cuerpo y alma a la pervivencia de tan necesaria ciencia constituyen el núcleo más numeroso de cuantos dirigen sus esfuerzos al estudio de las denominadas, en conjunto, ciencias heroicas, que incluyen además la Genealogía y la Nobiliaria.

La comunidad heráldica se encuentra distribuida por todos los rincones del territorio nacional, en labores de permanente divulgación e investigación de la ciencia heroica al servicio de España.

La constante y cotidiana superación de sacrificios, riesgos y fatigas, unida a la innumerable relación de soberbios trabajos, renunciando en buena medida a sus ratos de merecido ocio, merecen una recompensa moral y pública que premie y estimule al mismo tiempo el permanente afán de superación en la investigación y divulgación de la Heráldica.

Esta recompensa se ha de concretar forzosamente en la forma más preciada para aquellos que consagran su vida al servicio de la Heráldica: la satisfacción producida por el reconocimiento de la labor realizada.

Por otra parte, y en base a razones obvias de equidad, se hace preciso premiar igualmente la conducta de aquellas personas que, sin ser específicamente conocidos como miembros de la comunidad heráldica, colaboran espontánea y generosamente, en muchas ocasiones con gran sacrificio, a la mejor y más completa investigación sobre armerías.

En consideración a lo expuesto, se deduce la necesidad de crear una recompensa específica para el conjunto de la comunidad heráldica, que permita premiar aquellas actuaciones relevantes de entrega al fomento e investigación de la ciencia heroica en cualquiera de sus facetas, y valoradas precisamente por quienes, desde el Ministerio de Justicia, con el imprescindible informe de la Real Academia de la Historia y el visto bueno de la Real y Matritense Academia de Heráldica y Genealogía, pueden tener un conocimiento exacto y completo de las circunstancias en que se produjeron.

En su virtud, a propuesta del Ministro de Justicia, y en cumplimiento del Reglamento General de Honores y Distinciones vigente en España

DISPONGO

Artículo primero.- Se crea la Orden del Mérito Heráldico, para premiar el fomento y la investigación de extraordinario relieve, que redunden en prestigio de la comunidad heráldica en su conjunto e interés de la Patria.

Esta recompensa, de carácter civil, podrá ser concedida a cualquier español que se haga acreedor de ello.

Artículo segundo.- La Orden del Mérito Heráldico contará con tres categorías:

– Collar
– Gran Cruz y
– Cruz

El Collar y la Gran Cruz serán pensionados y se concederán para premiar el fomento y la investigación de la Heráldica realizados con heroica dedicación, que supongan un notable prestigio para el conjunto de la comunidad heráldica y de la Patria.

La Cruz será sin pensionar y se concederá para premiar el fomento y la investigación de la Heráldica realizados con especial dedicación.

Artículo tercero.- La concesión de estas recompensas y el consiguiente ingreso en la Orden del Mérito Heráldico se efectuará por Orden del Ministerio de Justicia, contará con el previo informe de la Real Academia de la Historia y con el visto bueno de la Real y Matritense Academia de Heráldica y Genealogía, previo expediente sumario, que se incoará por la Dirección General de Honores y Distinciones del Ministerio de Justicia.

Artículo cuarto.- Las categorías de Collar y Gran Cruz llevarán anejas las pensiones de carácter vitalicio que se determinarán reglamentariamente y serán acumulables para el caso de concederse ambas condecoraciones.

Artículo quinto.- Las cantidades necesarias para la ejecución de lo dispuesto en el artículo cuarto serán abonadas con cargo a los créditos correspondientes que figuran en los Presupuestos Generales del Estado.

Artículo sexto.- Los diseños de las condecoraciones se aprobarán reglamentariamente y requerirán el conforme de la Real Academia de la Historia.

Artículo séptimo.- Se autoriza al Ministerio de Justicia para que dicte las disposiciones necesarias para el desarrollo y ejecución de este Real Decreto.

Dado en Madrid, el 28 de diciembre de 2010.

JUAN CARLOS R.

El Ministro de Justicia,
FRANCISCO CAAMAÑO DOMÍNGUEZ

The premier Order of Merit of the Republic of Cyprus is the Order of Makarios III.

About a year ago, I had written about another Cypriot Order related to His Beatitude the Archbishop Makarios III of Cyprus and President of the Republic. The Order presented today is not related to that one in any way.

The Order of Makarios III is named after the first President of the Republic and national hero of Cyprus and is granted to those worthy individuals who have made significant contributions to society in general or to Cyprus in particular.

The Grand Master of the Order is the President of the Republic of Cyprus who grants this Order in one of six classes:

• Grand Collar
• Grand Cross
• Grand Commander
• Commander
• Officer
• Knight

The image (found on the Cypriot government site) at the top of this post is the medal of a Knight of the Order.

Some notable recipients of the Order:

• Dr. Vassilios Skouris, President of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, Grand Cross, 2006
• Dr. Barry R. Bloom, Dean of the Harvard School of Public Health, Grand Cross, 2007
• Mr. Paul Sarbanes, US Senator (D-Maryland), Grand Cross, 2007
• Dr. John Brademas, US Congressman (D-Indiana), Grand Cross, 2007
• Dr. Ernest J. Moniz, MIT Professor of Physics, Grand Cross, 2008
• Mr. Ivan Gašparovič, President of the Republic of Slovakia, Grand Collar
• General Michel Sleiman, President of the Republic of Lebanon, Grand Collar 2010

The official page on the site of the Presidency of Cyprus is: http://www.presidency.gov.cy/Presidency/Presidency.nsf/prc27_en/prc27_en?OpenDocument

To most of us living in republics, the concept of monarchy is something very foreign and harkens to a time long ago. This is usually because the country of residence disposed itself of its monarchy in way or another.

I won’t go into political theory of whether monarchy is better than republicanism or not. There are plenty of books and opinions on the matter abound on the Internet.

All these republics that are no longer monarchies have created the same result: formerly reigning dynasts and their families.

This is a product not only of republics but also of monarchies that through conquest or otherwise replaced the previously reigning dynasty.

Collectively, these former dynasts are called “pretenders” and through custom are permitted to use their prior titles. However, it is a rare occasion where they can do that in the country which they were previously a ruler of.

The better known pretenders are those whose families recently lost their throne or of a large and still extant country. Some of the better known are those of Greece, Serbia, Italy, Bulgaria, etc. In the latter’s case, the pretender to the Bulgarian throne, Simeon of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha who was deposed as a child in 1946 has had a successful political career after the fall of communism becoming the Prime Minister of the country in 2001-2005.

However, we also have pretenders to thrones of kingdoms that have not existed in centuries. Perhaps the most known are the Imperial family of Brazil (various pretenders), the various claimants to the throne of France and those of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies.

Going further back, we can also find pretenders to thrones as old as that of Aragon and Jerusalem.

Though opinions vary on whose claim is the “valid” one, in some cases it is crystal clear. Even with particularly old ones. Perhaps some day, when I feel adventurous, I’ll start looking at the various claims and share my opinion.

All these pretenders, as mentioned, can still use their previously held titles and are recognized in international law as heads of state.

The Order of the Redeemer or, in Greek, “Το Τάγμα του Σωτήρος” is the foremost order of merit in Greece. Interestingly, it not only is the first in order of precedence, it is also the first to be established after the revolution from Ottoman rule. Specifically, the Order was established in 1829 (the final year of the revolution) by Fourth National Assembly (Δ’ Εθνική Συνέλευση) in Argos. However, it was not awarded until 1833 when given to King Ludwig I of Bavaria, father of the new King of Greece, King Otto I.

Though decided upon in 1829 by a revolutionary assembly, it officially became an order of the country on May 20, 1833 by royal decree (ΦΕΚ 19, τ.Α΄από 20.1.1833).

It was so named as a constant reminder of the divine assistance to the liberation of the Greek people.

The Order of the Redeemer, even while Greece was a kingdom, never conferred nobility and always was an order of merit.

As with the rest of the Orders of the country, it is awarded in five classes: Grand Cross, Grand Commander, Commander, Gold Cross and Silver Cross.

The insignia of the Order has at its center an image of Jesus Christ the Redeemer encircled with the text “Η ΔΕΞΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΧΕΙΡ ΚΥΡΙΕ, ΔΕΔΟΞΑΣΤΑΙ ΕΝ ΙΣΧΥΙ” (“Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power”). On the reverse, the text reads “Η ΕΝ ΑΡΓΕΙ Δ΄ ΕΘΝΙΚΗ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΣΥΝΕΛΕΥΣΙΣ αωκθ΄” (“In Argos IV National Assembly of Greeks 1829″). The enameled center rests upon a white enameled cross over a wreath whose dexter half is of oak and the sinister of laurel. The stars of the Grand Cross and the Grand Commander have eight radiated points instead of the enameled cross.

Initially, the Order was awarded to those, Greeks and foreigners, who gave great service to the cause of Hellenic liberation. Today, it is awarded to Greek citizens who have provided an exemplary service to Greece or have distinguished themselves in some way. The Grand Cross of the Order is typically awarded to foreign heads of state.

The Presidency of the Hellenic Republic has a comprehensive website covering the history of this and the other orders of the country at http://www.presidency.gr/en/tagmaSwthr.htm

Note: images from the website of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic

There are many quasi-orders and other self-styled Orders who use “Orthodox” in their name and claim to be under the protection of some Orthodox bishop or archbishop. Some claim to continue the Orthodox branch of some ancient Order. While others even go so far as to claim recognition by the Holy See in Rome! Perhaps the most notorious of all these Orders are those that claim some kind of descent from the famous Orders of the Crusades and in their names use such terms as “Templar” or “Hospitaller” or both.

The Order being presented today is none of the above. It is a very much bonafide Order but, its current status is questionable.

Before continuing, I would like to clarify that I tried contacting the government of the Republic of Cyprus through the country’s embassy in the United States, the Press Office of the government and the Office of the President of the Republic. Unfortunately, I never even received a form email saying that my message was received.

What is especially interesting about the Order of the Orthodox Hospitallers is that it has a purely Orthodox Order with an unquestionable fons honorum, something that has not always been the case with Orthodox Orders.

The Order was established in December of 1972 by His Beatitude Archbishop Makarios III of Cyprus. The Archbishop was the head of the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Cyprus which is in full communion with the other Orthodox Churches of the world. However, Archbishop Makarios was also the President of the Republic of Cyprus and as such, combined in his person both the highest spiritual and temporal power of the sovereign nation. This combination is not found anywhere else, with the best comparison being His Holiness the Pope.

It must be noted that the Order was not created as an Order of Chivalry and it does not confer nobility, in any way, to any of its members. Simply put, the Orthodox Church does not have a tradition of nobiliary corporation and the granting nation is a presidential republic.

The governance of the Order was established with the Grand Master being the Archbishop of Cyprus and the Temporal Protector the President of the Republic. The headquarters were set to be in the monastery of St. Barnabas, Famagusta (Αμμόχωστος). It should be noted that after the 1974 invasion of Cyprus by Turkey, Famagusta (and thus the monastery) ended up on the Turkish occupied side of the now divided island. It is not clear what the status of the monastery and the headquarters of the Order is today. However, in Peter Bander van Duren’s “The Cross and the Sword” it is mentioned that the Turkish authorities have allowed the Order to retain the seat there. Personally, I find that to be highly implausible; especially knowing how the Turkish authorities have treated anything Greek or Orthodox in the north of the island.

The Order is a purely Orthodox one and has obtained the recognition of all the other heads of Orthodox Churches in communion with the Church of Cyprus. Furthermore, these Archbishops and Patriarchs are considered as the Spiritual Protectors of the Order within their territories. Membership in the Order is restricted strictly to those members of the Orthodox Church however, non-Orthodox may be recognized as Companions of the Order. Members and Companions have the Badge of Honor conferred upon them. The symbol of the Badge is simply a gold trimmed white enameld cross botonny. The higher levels have the text “FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE GOOD OF MANKIND” encircling the cross.

Companionships exist in three classes: Companion, Companion First Class and Companion with Star. It should be made clear that a companionship does not equate membership in the Order.

When Archbishop and President Makarios instituted the Order, he decreed that certain non-Orthodox personages receive the Companionship with Star automatically, these are: the Apostolic Pro-Nuncios to Cyprus and the UK, the Aglican Bishop of Cyprus and the Vicar General of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in Cyprus. He also believed strongly that the Order can be used to strengthen inter-faith and interdenominational relationships and suggested that perhaps the religious leaders of territories hosting large Orthodox communities should be honored.

Unfortunately, it is unclear what has happened to the Order since His Beatitude died in 1977 and a number of organizations have popped up claiming to be the continuation of it. However, none of them are headed by the Archbishop of Cyprus nor by the President of Cyprus and don’t include an explanation as to how this radical change occured. Peter Bander van Duren includes a picture of President Spyros Kyprianou, who succeeded His Beatitude, wearing the insignia of the Order and thus, one can infer that it was still in existence for at least a few years after Archbishop and President Makarios’ death.

As mentioned earlier, none of my attempts to get official information about the current status of the Order met with success. Hopefully, I will uncover some information in the near future.