IN Lately Video recordings appear on the network reflecting the psychosis that prevails in the early American colony in relation to the St. George ribbon. Moreover, the virus of madness, hatred for this attribute of the celebration Great Victory, which became a symbol of the glory and heroism of our fathers and grandfathers during the Great Patriotic War, struck many representatives of the liberal public, from whom one can often hear reproaches about wearing a St. George ribbon on the chest during the days of the corresponding action, as well as during various kinds of memorial events. and holiday events.

For Russian liberals, as well as for the demoniac admirers of Bandera in Ukraine, the St. George ribbon is a symbol of Russia's non-existent aggression in the Donbass. In fact, the liberal demshiza, captivated by its illusions, was picked up by a myth invented by the Kiev Bandera-fascist junta to justify their failures and criminal actions that plunged Ukraine into civil war, chaos, chaos and poverty. Well, in the most amazing country, nothing that happens in it is no longer surprising:

St. George's ribbon: history and meaning

St. George's Ribbon is one of the most recognizable characters Russian reality in recent years. This black and orange ribbon is one of the main attributes of the Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War (WWII) - one of the most respected holidays in our country. Unfortunately, few of those who tie the St. George ribbon on their clothes or attach it to a car know what it really means.

St. George's Ribbon is a ribbon consisting of two colors (orange and black), which in pre-revolutionary Russia relied on several awards dedicated to St. George the Victorious. These included: the St. George Cross, the St. George Medal and the Order of St. George.
In addition, starting from about the 18th century, the St. George ribbon has been actively used in Russian heraldry: the ribbon was used as an element of the St. George banners (standards), it was worn on uniforms by military personnel of especially distinguished units, the St. George ribbon was on peakless caps of sailors of the Guards crew and sailors of ships awarded George banners.

History of the St. George Ribbon

Already in early XVIII century black, orange (yellow) and White color and began to be considered the state flowers of Russia. It was this color scheme that was present on the state emblem Russian state. The sovereign eagle was black, the field of the coat of arms was golden or orange, and the white color meant the figure of St. George the Victorious depicted on the shield of the coat of arms.

In the middle of the 18th century, Empress Catherine the Great established a new award - the Order of St. George, which was awarded to officers and generals for services in the military field (although the Empress herself became his first holder). This order relied on a ribbon, which in honor of the order was called St. George's.

The statute of the order indicated that the St. George ribbon should have three black and two yellow stripes. However, it was not yellow that was originally used, but rather orange.

In addition to matching the colors of the state emblem of Russia, such a color scheme had one more meaning: orange and black are symbols of "fire and gunpowder".

IN early XIX century (1807), another award was established dedicated to St. George the Victorious - the insignia of the Military Order, which was unofficially called the George Cross. This award was granted to the lower ranks for the feats accomplished on the battlefield. In 1913, the St. George medal appeared, which was also awarded to soldiers and non-commissioned officers for their courage in the face of the enemy.

All of the above awards were worn along with the St. George ribbon. In some cases, the ribbon could be an analogue of the award (if the gentleman for some reason could not receive it). During the First World War, holders of the St. George Cross in winter wore a ribbon on their overcoat instead of a badge.

At the beginning of the 19th century, St. George banners (standards) appeared in Russia, in 1813 they were awarded to the Naval Guards crew, after which the St. George ribbon appeared on the peakless caps of its sailors. Emperor Alexander II decided to grant ribbons of merit to entire military units. The St. George's Cross was placed at the top of the banner, and the St. George's Ribbon was tied under the pommel.

The St. George ribbon was actively used in Russia until the October Revolution of 1917: after it, the Bolsheviks abolished all royal awards. However, even after that, the St. George Ribbon remained part of the award system of the White movement. The White Guards used this attribute in their insignia, which appeared already in the period civil war.

In the White Army, there were two especially respected insignia: "For the Ice Campaign" and "For the Great Siberian Campaign", both of them had bows from the St. George's ribbon. In addition, the St. George ribbon was actively used in the White movement: it was worn on headdresses, tied on uniforms, attached to battle banners.

After the end of the Civil War, the St. George Ribbon was one of the most common symbols of the emigrant White Guard organizations.

The St. George ribbon was very widely used by various organizations of collaborators who fought on the side of Nazi Germany during the Second World War. As part of the Russian freedom movement(ROD) included more than ten large military units, including several SS divisions, which were staffed by Russians.

Guards Ribbon

After the devastating defeats of the initial period of the Great Patriotic War, the leadership of the USSR desperately needed symbols that could unite the people and raise morale at the front. The Red Army had very few military awards and insignia of military prowess. This is where the St. George ribbon came in handy.

They did not completely repeat the design and name in the USSR. The Soviet tape was called "Guards", and its appearance was somewhat changed.

Back in the autumn of 1941, the honorary title of "Guards" was accepted into the award system of the USSR. The following year, the army was established Chest sign"Guard", and the Soviet Navy adopted its similar sign - "Naval Guard".

At the end of 1943, a new award was established in the USSR - the Order of Glory. He had three degrees and was issued to soldiers and junior officers. In fact, the concept of this award largely repeated the royal St. George's Cross. The block of the Order of Glory was covered with the Guards Ribbon.

The same ribbon was used in the medal "For the Victory over Germany", which was awarded to almost all military personnel who fought on the Western fronts. After the victory in the Second World War, about 15 million people were awarded this medal, which was approximately 10% of the entire population of the USSR.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the black-and-orange ribbon in the minds of Soviet citizens has become a real symbol of victory in the war over Nazi Germany. In addition, after the end of the Second World War, the Guards Ribbon was actively used in the most diverse visual propaganda related to the theme of the war.

Modern Russia

IN modern Russia Victory Day is one of the most popular holidays. For state propaganda, the theme of the Second World War is one of the main tools for raising the patriotism of the population.

In 2005, in honor of the sixtieth anniversary of the victory over Germany, an action began at the state level to promote the St. George Ribbon as the main national symbol of the Great Patriotic War.

On the eve of the May holidays, St. George ribbons began to be handed out for free right on the streets Russian cities, in shops and public institutions. People hang them on clothes, bags, car antennas. Private companies began to often (sometimes even too often) use the tape in advertising their products.

The motto of the action was the slogan "I remember, I'm proud." In recent years, actions related to the St. George ribbon began to take place abroad. At first, the tape was distributed in neighboring countries, in Last year promotions were held in Europe and the USA.

Russian society took this symbol very favorably, and the St. George ribbon received a second birth. Unfortunately, people who wear it usually have little knowledge of the history and meaning of this sign.

The first thing to say is that the St. George Ribbon has nothing to do with the award system of the Red Army and the USSR in general. This is the insignia of pre-revolutionary Russia. If we talk about the period of the Second World War, then the St. George ribbon is more likely associated with collaborators who fought on the side of Nazi Germany.

In 1992, by decree of the President of Russia, the St. George Cross was restored to the country's award system. The current St. George ribbon, in its color scheme and arrangement of stripes, completely coincides with the royal insignia, as well as with the ribbon worn by Krasnov and Vlasov.

However, this is not a big problem. The St. George ribbon is indeed a real symbol of Russia, with which the Russian army went through dozens of wars and battles. Arguments that Victory Day is celebrated with the wrong ribbon are stupid and insignificant. The differences between the Guards and St. George ribbon are so small that only historians and specialists in heraldry can understand them. It is much worse that this sign of military prowess is actively used by politicians and, as usual, not always for good purposes.

St. George ribbon and politics

In the past few years, this insignia has been actively used in politics, and this is done both inside Russia and abroad. This trend was particularly aggravated in 2014, after the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of hostilities in the Donbass. Moreover, the St. George ribbon has become one of the main distinguishing signs of those forces that were directly involved in these events.
The St. George Ribbon is very actively used by supporters of the DPR and LPR. Russian propaganda is trying to draw a parallel between the fighters of the separatist formations in eastern Ukraine with the Red Army soldiers who fought against the Nazis during World War II. In the role of Nazis, the Russian media usually present the modern Ukrainian authorities.

Therefore, in the past few years, the St. George ribbon has turned from a symbol great war into a propaganda tool. This sign is increasingly perceived as a symbol of support for the current government. And this is very wrong. And the St. George ribbon on vodka, toys or Mercedes hoods looks like an insult. After all, both the St. George Cross and the Order of Glory could only be earned on the battlefield.

The Great Patriotic War is such a grandiose and tragic event that May 9 should be a day of remembrance for the millions of those who died, whose remains are still scattered across our forests.

Very soon we will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of that great day when one of the bloodiest wars for our country ended. Today, everyone is familiar with the symbols of Victory, but not everyone knows what they mean, how and by whom they were invented. In addition, modern trends bring their innovations, and it turns out that some symbols familiar from childhood appear in a different incarnation.

The history of the St. George ribbon

There are symbols that tell us about a particular event. For several years now, the St. George Ribbon has been used as such a symbol of Victory. It is handed out on the streets of Russian cities before the holiday, it is tied to car antennas and handbags. But why did such a ribbon begin to tell us and our children about the war? What does the St. George ribbon mean?

St. George's ribbon is made in two colors - orange and black. Its history begins with the soldier's order of St. George the Victorious, which was established by Empress Catherine II on November 26, 1769. This ribbon was later included in the award system of the USSR under the name "Guards Ribbon". They gave it to soldiers as a sign of special distinction. The ribbon was wrapped around the Order of Glory.

What do the colors mean?

The St. George Ribbon is a symbol of Victory, the colors of which mean the following: black is smoke, and orange is flame. The Order itself was given to soldiers for certain military feats during the war, and it was considered an exceptional military award. The St. George Order was presented in four classes:

1. The order of the first degree consisted of a cross, a star and a ribbon in black and orange, such an order was worn over the right shoulder under the uniform.
2. The order of the second degree assumed the presence of a star and a large cross. It was decorated with a thin ribbon and worn around the neck.
3. The third degree is an order with a small cross around the neck.
4. The fourth degree is a small cross worn in the buttonhole of a uniform.

What does the St. George Ribbon mean in terms of color besides smoke and flames? Black and orange colors today embody military prowess and glory. This award was presented not only to people, but also to the insignia that were issued to military units. For example, silver trumpets or banners.

St. George banners

In 1806, the award St. George banners were introduced in the Russian army, which were crowned with the St. George Cross and tied black and orange ribbon with banner tassels almost 4.5 cm long. In 1878, Emperor Alexander II issued a decree establishing a new insignia: now the St. George ribbons were issued as awards for the military exploits of an entire regiment.

The traditions of the Russian army were passed down from generation to generation, and the Order of Glory did not change. During the Second World War, he was of three degrees, in the yellow-black colors of the ribbon, which were reminiscent of the St. George Cross. And the ribbon itself continued to serve as a symbol of military prowess.

Tape today

Modern symbols of the Victory originate in ancient Russian traditions. Today, on the eve of the holiday, young people tie ribbons on clothes, distribute them to motorists and just passers-by to remind everyone about the feat of our people and express their solidarity. By the way, the idea of ​​holding such an action, as it turned out, belongs to the staff of the Ria Novosti news agency. As the employees themselves say, the purpose of this action is to create a symbol of the holiday, which will become a tribute to veterans who survived and once again remind of those who fell on the battlefield. The scale of the action is actually impressive: every year the number of common ribbons increases.

What other characters?

Probably, in every city there is a Victory Park, which is dedicated to this glorious feat of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Very often, various actions are timed to coincide with this event, for example, “Plant a tree”. The symbol of Victory can look and be interpreted in different ways, but the most important thing is to show your involvement in this important event. In addition, it is important to instill a sense of love and respect for the Motherland in our children, and just such important actions help in this. So, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, the Lilac of Victory campaign was launched, within the framework of which entire alleys of these beautiful flowering plants will be planted in Russian hero cities.

History of the Banner of Victory

Many of us have seen the Victory Banner in pictures and in movies. In fact, it is the assault flag of the 150th II degree of the Idritsa Infantry Division, and it was he who was hoisted on the roof of the Reichstag in Berlin on May 1, 1945. This was done by the soldiers of the Red Army Alexei Berest, Mikhail Yegorov and Russian legislation established the Banner of Victory of 1945 as the official symbol of the victory of the Soviet people and the Armed Forces of the country over the Nazis in 1941-1945.

Outwardly, the Banner is an improvised and field-made flag of the USSR, which was attached to a pole and was created from a single-layer red cloth measuring 82 by 188 cm. A silver sickle, a hammer and a five-pointed star are depicted on the front surface, and the name is written on the rest of the canvas divisions.

How the banner was hoisted

Victory symbols are various elements that are popular from year to year. And the Banner of Victory among these elements and symbols plays the most important role. Recall that at the end of April 1945, fierce battles were fought in the Reichstag area. The building was stormed several times, one after another, and only the third storm yielded results. On April 30, 1945, a message was broadcast on the radio, which broadcast around the world, that at 14:25 the Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag. Moreover, at that time the building had not yet been captured, only a few groups were able to get inside. The third assault on the Reichstag took a long time, and it was successful: the building was captured Soviet troops, several banners were hoisted on it at once - from divisional to home-made.

Symbols of the Victory, the Great Patriotic War, the heroism of Soviet soldiers, namely the banner and ribbons, are still used in various processions and actions dedicated to the celebration of May 9th. carried through Red Square during the Victory Parade in 1945, and for this they specially trained flagmen and their assistants. Main political department Soviet army By decree of July 10, 1945, the Banner of Victory was transferred to the Central Museum of the USSR Armed Forces in Moscow, where it was to be kept forever.

History of the Banner after 1945

After 1945, the Banner was taken out again in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of the Victory. And until 1965 it was kept in the museum in its original form. A little later, it was replaced with a copy that exactly repeated the original version. It is noteworthy, but the Banner was ordered to be stored only horizontally: the satin from which it was created was too fragile material. That is why, until 2011, the Banner was covered with special paper and folded only horizontally.

On May 8, 2011, in the Znamya Pobedy Hall at the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, a genuine flag was put on public display, and it was exhibited on special equipment: the banner was placed in a large glass cube, which was supported by metal structures in the form of rails. In this form - genuine - this and other symbols of victory in the Second World War could be seen by many visitors to the museum.

A remarkable fact: the Banner (the real one that was hoisted on the Reichstag) lacked a strip 73 cm long and 3 cm wide. There were and continue to be many rumors about this. On the one hand, they say that a piece of canvas was taken as a keepsake by one of those soldiers who participated in the capture of the Reichstag. On the other hand, it is believed that the Banner was kept in the 150th Infantry Division, where women also served. And it was they who decided to keep a souvenir for themselves: they cut off a piece of fabric and divided it among themselves. By the way, according to the testimony of the museum staff, in the 70s one of these women came to the museum and showed her piece of the Banner, which fit him in size.

Banner of Victory today

To this day, the most important flag that tells us about the Victory over Nazi Germany, - a mandatory attribute when holding festive events on Red Square on May 9th. True, a copy is used. Other copies as symbols of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War can be hung on other buildings as well. The main thing is that the copies correspond to the original look of the Victory Banner.

Why cloves?

Probably, everyone remembers from the time of his childhood the demonstrations dedicated to the celebration of May 9th. And most often we lay carnations at the monuments. Why exactly them? Firstly, this one is a symbol of courage and bravery. Moreover, the flower received such a meaning back in the third century when the carnation was called the flower of Zeus. Today, the carnation is a symbol of Victory, which in classical heraldry is a sign of passion, impulse. And already from ancient rome carnations were considered flowers for the winners.

Attention is drawn to the next historical fact. Carnation was brought to Europe back in the days crusades and used to heal wounds. And since the flower appeared along with the warriors, it began to be perceived as a symbol of victory, courage and a talisman from wounds. According to other versions, the flower was brought by German knights from Tunisia to Germany. Today, for us, the carnation is a symbol of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. And many of us lay bouquets of these flowers at the foot of the memorials.

Already since the French Revolution of 1793, the carnation has become a symbol of the fighters who died for the idea and became the personification of revolutionary passion and devotion. The victims of terror, who went to their deaths, always attached a red carnation to their clothes as a symbol of confrontation. Modern flower arrangements based on carnations symbolize the blood shed by our grandfathers, great-grandfathers, fathers during the Great Patriotic War. These flowers not only look beautiful, but also retain their decorative appearance for a long time when cut.

Popular flowers-symbols of Victory are deep red tulips. They are also associated with the scarlet blood of Soviet soldiers shed for the Motherland, as well as our love for our country.

Modern symbols of Victory

The holiday of May 9 is widely celebrated throughout the post-Soviet space annually. And every year the symbols of Victory change, are supplemented with new elements, in the development of which many specialists take part. For the 70th anniversary of the Victory, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation has released a whole selection of symbols that are recommended for use in graphic and typographic design of various documents, presentations, and souvenirs. According to the organizers, such symbols are an opportunity to remind everyone once again of the great feat of the people who were able to defeat absolute evil.

The Ministry of Culture recommends using selected symbols as a basis for designing almost all communication formats of holidays. The main logo, which was specially created this year, is a composition depicting a white dove on a blue background, a St. George ribbon and inscriptions made in the colors of the Russian tricolor.

conclusions

Symbols of Victory are, it would seem, simple elements but they carry a deeper meaning. And the meaning of these symbols would not hurt to know every inhabitant of our country, who is proud of his homeland and his ancestors, who gave us life and made it possible to live in relatively peaceful conditions. And the St. George ribbon, which is almost the main symbol of the Victory, will soon appear on all cars in the country and wardrobe items of Russian citizens. The main thing is that people understand what exactly this symbol means. We remember, we are proud of the feat of our soldiers!

Today, the St. George ribbon is perceived more as a modern fashion accessory on certain May days, which does not stand up to criticism. But few people know the history of the symbol of Victory and courage, bravery and stamina. Even less familiar is the history of the origin of the color of the ribbon. And why is the ribbon called St. George's?

What you need to know about the St. George Ribbon - we offer you a selection of 10 most important facts.

No. 1. Slogan

About the St. George ribbon, as a symbol of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War, they started talking in the mid-2000s.

In 2005, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Victory, a non-political action was launched under the well-known slogans:

“Grandfather’s victory is my Victory”, “Tie it. If you remember!”, “I remember! I am proud!”, “We are the heirs of the Great Victory!”, “Thank you grandfather for the victory!”

No. 2. Idea author

The idea of ​​the action belongs to a group of journalists from the Russian Agency for International Information "RIA Novosti".

No. 3. Code of the action "George Ribbon"

The St. George Ribbon Code consists of 10 points:

1. Action "George Ribbon" - not commercial or political.
2. The purpose of the action is creating a symbol of the holiday - Victory Day .
3. This symbol is an expression of our respect for the veterans, a tribute to the memory of those who fell on the battlefield, gratitude to the people who gave everything for the front. To all those thanks to whom we won in 1945.
4. "George Ribbon" not a heraldic symbol . This is a symbolic ribbon, a replica of the traditional bicolor St. George ribbon.
5. It is not allowed to use original award St. George or Guards ribbons in the promotion. "George's Ribbon" is a symbol, not a reward.
6. "George Ribbon" cannot be sold .
7. "George Ribbon" cannot serve to promote goods and services. It is not allowed to use the tape as an accompanying product or as an element of product packaging.
8. "George Ribbon" distributed free of charge. It is not allowed to issue a ribbon to a visitor of a commercial establishment in exchange for a purchase.
9. Not allowed usage"George Ribbon" for political purposes any parties or movements.
10. "St. George Ribbon" has one or two inscriptions: the name of the city / state where the ribbon was produced. Other inscriptions on the ribbon are not allowed.
11. This is a symbol of the unbroken spirit of the people who fought and defeated Nazism in the Great Patriotic War.

Naturally, like any code in the Russian Federation, it is also not observed by every citizen. From 2005 to 2017, paragraph 7 of the code is considered the most violated. On the eve of the holiday, enterprising merchants get away with whatever they can: manicures, vodka, beer, dogs, wet wipes, ice cream, mayonnaise, and even toilets- madness in all its glory:

Here is such a speculation on the topic of war and victory ... Petty, low, vile, disgusting ...

No. 4. On banknotes

The St. George Ribbon is depicted on the commemorative banknotes of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic issued by the Central Bank of Pridnestrovie to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

No. 5. Conformity

St. George's Ribbon appearance and the combination of colors corresponds to the ribbon with which the order block for the medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" is covered.

Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" became the most massive medal. As of January 1, 1995, approximately 14,933,000 people have been awarded the medal.

Among the awarded were 120,000 servicemen of the Bulgarian army who took part in the fighting against the German army and its allies.

No. 6. "Georgievskaya" or "Guards"

The ribbons distributed as part of this action are called St. George's, although critics argue that in fact they correspond to the guards, as they mean a symbol of victory in the Great Patriotic War and have orange stripes, not yellow. The fact is that since the autumn of 1941, units, formations and ships, for the courage and heroism of their personnel, which they showed in defending the Fatherland, were awarded honorary title "Guards", "Guards", and not "George" or "George".

In fact, everything is simple - the guards ribbon is typical for the Soviet era of government, while the St. George ribbon is for the royal one. And they differed slightly - the color and width of the stripes. The Bolsheviks, who abolished the award system in 1917, in 1941 only copied the royal award, changing quite a bit the shade of color.

By the way, according to the widespread version, the term "guard" appeared in Italy in the 12th century and meant a select detachment for the protection of the state banner. In Russia, the first detachments of the guard were created in 1565 by decree of Ivan the Terrible - they were all part of his personal guard. Today they are called bodyguards, and in the time of Ivan the Terrible - guardsmen. The basis of the personal guard of the king was the “best” representatives of the most noble families and descendants of the specific princes ... The guardsmen had to stand out from the crowd, and like the monks, who were easy to distinguish by black robes, special black clothes were invented for the royal guard. This fact, by the way, explains the color of the clothes of modern bodyguards ...

Paradoxically, the Bolsheviks, hating everything tsarist, overthrew the term "Georgievsky", returned in 1941 another tsarist term "Guards", but called it their own, Soviet ...

No. 7. When it first appeared

St. George ribbon appeared on November 26 (December 7) 1769. under Catherine II, along with the Order of St. George - the highest military award Russian Empire. The motto of the order was: "For service and courage."

The Empress herself became the first holder of the order - on the occasion of its establishment ... And "For Service and Courage" - Fedor Ivanovich Fabritsian - Russian general, hero of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774.

Under his command, a special detachment of chasseur battalions and part of the 1st Grenadier Regiment, numbering 1,600 people, utterly defeated a Turkish detachment of 7,000 people and occupied the city of Galati. For this feat, on December 8, 1769, Fabrizian was the first in history to be awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd degree.

And the first full cavalier Order of St. George, became an outstanding Russian commander, commander-in-chief of the Russian army during the Patriotic War of 1812, student and ally of A.V. Suvorov - Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov.

No. 8. Tape color

The ribbon was worn depending on the class of the gentleman: either in the buttonhole, or around the neck, or over the right shoulder. The tape was supposed to be a lifetime salary. After the death of the owner, it was inherited, but due to the commission of a shameful offense, it could be withdrawn from the owner. The statute of the order of 1769 contained following description ribbons: Silk ribbon with three black and two yellow stripes.

However, as the images show, in practice, not so much yellow as orange was initially used in practice (from a heraldic point of view, both orange and yellow are just options for displaying gold).

The traditional interpretation of the colors of the St. George ribbon states that black means smoke, orange means flame . The Chief Chamberlain Count Litta wrote in 1833: “The immortal legislator who established this order believed that the ribbon connected it the color of gunpowder and the color of fire ».

However, a prominent specialist in Russian faleristics, Serge Andolenko, points out that black and yellow colors, in fact, only reproduce the colors of the state emblem: a black double-headed eagle on a golden background.

The image of George both on the state emblem and on the cross (award) itself had the same colors: on a white horse, white George in a yellow cloak killing a black snake with a spear, respectively, a white cross with a yellow-black ribbon.

No. 9. Why is it named after George the Victorious

This saint has become extraordinarily popular since the days of early Christianity. In the Roman Empire, starting from the 4th century, churches dedicated to George began to appear, first in Syria and Palestine, then throughout the East. In the West of the empire, Saint George was considered the patron saint of chivalry, participants in the crusades; he is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. In Russia since ancient times, St. George was revered under the name of Yuri or Egor.

According to one version, the cult of St. George, as often happened with Christian saints, was promoted in opposition to the pagan cult of Dionysus , temples were built on the site of the former sanctuaries of Dionysus, and holidays were celebrated in honor of him on the days of Dionysius.

The name George comes from the Greek. γεωργός - farmer. coexist in the popular mind two images of the saint: one of them is close to the church cult of St. George - a snake fighter and a Christ-loving warrior, another, very different from the first, to the cult of a cattle breeder and tiller, owner of the land, patron of cattle, opening spring field work

St. George, together with the Mother of God, is considered the heavenly patron of Georgia and is the most revered saint among Georgians. According to local legends, George was a relative of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, the Enlightener of Georgia. And the George Cross is present on the flag of the Georgian church. For the first time he appeared on the Georgian banners under Queen Tamara.

This is interesting:

It is well known that the St. George ribbon appeared along with the St. George Order. So, since St. George was considered a Christian saint, how to reward Muslim defenders? So, for the Gentiles, a variant of the order was provided, in which instead of St. George the coat of arms of Russia, a double-headed eagle, was depicted. The sample of the order with an eagle was approved by Nicholas I on August 29, 1844 during the Caucasian War, and Major Dzhamov-bek Kaytagsky was the first to receive a new badge. In this regard, in memoirs and fiction there are moments when officers, immigrants from the Caucasus, are perplexed:

“why did they give me a cross with a bird, and not with a horseman?”

No. 10. Restoration of the Order of St. George

The Order of St. George, once abolished by the Bolsheviks, has now been restored, and by Decree of the President of Russia No. 1463 of August 8, 2000, it acts as the highest military award in Russia. The restored order of St. George has the same outward signs, as in tsarist time. Unlike the previous order, the order of awarding has been slightly changed: not only the 3rd and 4th degrees, but all degrees are given sequentially. An annual pension is not provided for the holders of the order, while under Catherine II a pension was provided - it was received throughout life. After the death of the gentleman, his widow received a pension for him for another year.

Found an error? Select it and left click Ctrl+Enter.

St. George ribbon - bicolor (two-color) of orange and black. It traces its history from the ribbon to the soldier's order of St. George the Victorious, established on November 26, 1769 by Empress Catherine II. This ribbon, with slight changes, entered the award system of the USSR as the "Guards Ribbon" - a sign of special distinction for a soldier. She is covered with a block of a very honorable "soldier's" Order of Glory.

The black color of the ribbon means smoke, and the orange color means flame. St. George ribbons occupy the most honorable place among the numerous collective awards (distinctions) of the units of the Russian army.

The Order of George was established in 1769. By status, it was given only for specific feats in wartime "to those who ... distinguished themselves by a special courageous act or gave wise and useful advice for our military service." It was an exceptional military award. The Order of St. George was divided into four classes. The first degree of the order had three signs: a cross star and a ribbon consisting of three black and two orange stripes, which was worn over the right shoulder under the uniform. The second degree of the order also had a star and a large cross, which was worn around the neck on a narrower ribbon. The third degree is a small cross on the neck, the fourth is a small cross in the buttonhole.

The black and orange colors of the St. George Ribbon have become a symbol of military prowess and glory in Russia. There are different opinions about the symbolism of the St. George ribbon. For example, Count Litta wrote in 1833: "The immortal legislator, who established this order, believed that its ribbon connects the color of gunpowder and the color of fire ...". However, Serge Andolenko, a Russian officer who later became a general of the French army and compiled the most complete collection of drawings and descriptions of the regimental badges of the Russian army, does not agree with this explanation: "In reality, the colors of the order have been state colors since the time when the double-headed eagle became the Russian national emblem on a golden background ... This is how the Russian coat of arms was described under Catherine II: "The eagle is black, on the heads is a crown, and at the top in the middle is a large Imperial crown - gold, in the middle of the same eagle is George, on a white horse, defeating a snake, an epancha and a spear are yellow , the crown is yellow, the snake is black. "Thus, the Russian military order, both in its name and in its colors, had deep roots in Russian history."

The St. George's Ribbon was also assigned to some insignia awarded to military units - St. George's silver trumpets, banners, standards, etc. many military awards were worn on the St. George ribbon, or it was part of the ribbon.

In 1806, award St. George banners were introduced in the Russian army. The St. George's Cross was placed at the top of the banner, and a black-orange St. George ribbon with banner tassels 1 inch wide (4.44 cm) was tied under the top. In 1855, during the Crimean War, lanyards of St. George's colors appeared on premium officer's weapons. Golden weapons as a kind of award were no less honorable for a Russian officer than the Order of George.

After the end of the Russian-Turkish war (1877 - 1878), Emperor Alexander II ordered the commanders-in-chief of the Danube and Caucasian armies to prepare presentations for rewarding the most distinguished units and subunits. Information from the commanders about the exploits performed by their units was collected and submitted to the Cavalier Duma of the Order of St. George. The report of the Duma, in particular, stated that the most brilliant feats in the war were the Nizhny Novgorod and Seversky Dragoon Regiments, which already have all the established awards: St. George's standards, St. George's pipes, double buttonholes "for military distinction" on the uniforms of headquarters and chief officers , St. George buttonholes on the uniforms of the lower ranks, insignia on headdresses. By personal decree on April 11, 1878, a new insignia was established, the description of which was announced by order of the Military Department of October 31 of the same year. The decree, in particular, stated: “Sovereign Emperor, bearing in mind that some regiments already have all the insignia established as a reward for military exploits, the Highest deigned to establish a new highest distinction: St. granted, according to the description and drawing attached to this. These ribbons, being part of the banners and standards, are in no case removed from them. "

Until the end of the existence of the Russian imperial army, this award with wide St. George ribbons remained the only one. During the Great Patriotic War, continuing the military traditions of the Russian army, on November 8, 1943, the Order of Glory of three degrees was established. His statute, as well as the yellow and black colors of the ribbon, were reminiscent of the St. George Cross. Then the St. George ribbon, confirming the traditional colors of Russian military prowess, adorned many soldier and modern Russian award medals and badges.