Order of St. George and St. George Cross

Main article: Russian Armed Forces

2007: Revival of the holiday - Day of Heroes of the Fatherland - December 9

In 2007, the holiday was also revived - the Day of Heroes of the Fatherland, which was first celebrated in the Russian Federation on December 9, 2007. On this day, a solemn reception is held in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, to which Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation, full cavaliers of the Order of Glory and cavaliers of the Order of St. George are invited.

2000: Restoration of the Order of St. George as the highest military award of Russia

In 2000, the Order of St. George was restored as the highest military award in Russia.

1918: Abolition of the Order

After the October Revolution of 1917, the order, and with it the holiday, were abolished.

You can see documents, front-line drawings and portraits of the last St. George cavaliers of pre-revolutionary Russia in the collection "World War I (1914-1918)" on the portal of the Presidential Library - in Kartotek and the Gallery of St. George Cavaliers of the Trophy Commission from the funds of the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Communications Troops. Unique documents, drawings and portraits made by artists of the First World War present invaluable historical material. You can also learn more about the main military award on the portal of the Presidential Library thanks to Tatyana Ilyina's book "Heroes of the Great War. 1914-1918: materials of the Trophy Commission in the collection of the Military History Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Communications Troops "- a joint project implemented by the Russian Historical Society, the Military History Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Communications Troops, the Presidential Library and the Kuchkovo Pole Publishing House.

1849: The names of the knights of the order began to be entered on marble boards in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace

Since 1849, the names of the knights of the order began to be entered on special marble boards in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

The feast of St. George was revered and solemnly celebrated in all parts of the troops. On this day, in the Winter Palace or in Tsarskoye Selo, depending on where the emperor was staying, the knights of the order of all degrees, including the lower ranks, gathered for the celebration. After the parade, lunch was given, and the emperor personally drank for the health of brave warriors. Each of the lower ranks present had the right to take with him the royal device on which he dined. In addition, a free performance was arranged for them at the Alexandrinsky Theater. The last time the order holiday was held in 1916.

1807: The insignia for the lower ranks was established - St. George's Cross

In 1807, on the model of this award, the insignia for the lower ranks was established - the St. George Cross, which became one of the most revered military awards.

1769: Catherine II established the Order of St. George

In 1769, Catherine II established the Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George of four degrees and, in honor of the establishment of a new award, entrusted herself with the badge of the Order of the 1st degree.

The empress fulfilled the dream of Peter the Great - an order appeared in Russia to award military ranks exclusively for military merits. The Order of St. George from the very beginning acquired special significance precisely as a military award issued for personal courage. The third article of the statute of the order, signed by Catherine II, an electronic copy of which can be found on the portal of the Presidential Library, read: "Neither a tall breed nor wounds received before the enemy give the right to be granted this order: but it is given to those who not only corrected their position in everything by oath, honor and duty to their own, but also distinguished themselves by what a special courageous act or presented wise and useful advice for Our military service. " The statute also stated: "This order will never be removed, for it is acquired by merit."

The order had four degrees, and at first it was awarded IV, the lowest degree, to which, like III, a small cross relied. A large cross and a four-beam gold star relied on degrees I and II. The badge of the order of IV-I degrees was a golden cross with rays covered with white enamel. In the central round medallion of the sign on a pink (from the 30s of the XIX century - red) background, an image of St. George was placed on a horse striking a snake with a spear. The St. George ribbon had three black and two yellow (orange) longitudinal stripes.

In the entire history of the Order of St. George, there were only four full St. George knights with all four degrees of the order:

• Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov,
• Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly,
• Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich and
• Ivan Ivanovich Dibich-Zabalkansky.