Insignia of Saint Olga
| Insignia of Saint Olga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | award for distinction |
| Awarded for | Public and community service |
| Description | gold or silver Byzantine cross with light blue enamel |
| Presented by |  Russian Empire |
| Eligibility | women |
| Motto | "For the Benefit of Neighbours" |
| Established | 6 March [O.S. 21 February] 1913 |
| First awarded | 15 April [O.S. 2 April] 1916 |
| Last awarded | 15 April [O.S. 2 April] 1916 |
| Total | 1 |
| Total recipients | Vera Nikolayevna Panayeva (Вера Николаевна Панаева) |
 Ribbon of the insignia | |
The Insignia of Saint Olga (
The "Insignia of Saint Olga" was only awarded once before the Russian Revolution toppled the monarchy.
History
The creation of the award was announced to coincide with the official anniversary of the Romanov dynasty in 1913; it was later named in honour of
The award was to have the dates of the Romanov Empire anniversary inscribed, "February, 21st Day, 1613-1913." It was designated for three grades of merit:[2]
- Grade One – A gold and light blue-enamelled Byzantine cross, worn on the left shoulder suspended from a white bow.
- Grade Two – A silver and light blue-enamelled Byzantine cross, worn on the left shoulder suspended from a white bow.
- Grade Three – A smaller plain silver Byzantine cross, worn on the left shoulder suspended from a white bow.
According to the bylines for the award, it was only to be awarded only twice per year: 23 April, the birthday of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna; and 14 November, the birthday of the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna.
The regulations and bureaucratic delays of implementing the award resulted in it being awarded only one time (Second Class), during World War I. The recipient was Vera Nikolayevna Panayeva (Вера Николаевна Панаева), a Russian widow of Colonel Arkady Aleksandrovich Panayev (1822-1889), who had lost three sons to fighting in the war. She received a lifetime pension of 3000 rubles[2][3] She died in 1923.
Designation
Though the award has been translated as "The Order of Saint Olga" (Орденом Святой Ольги), it was not given that specific name or designation; being instead officially titled "The Insignia of the Holy Saint Princess Olga" (Знак отличия Святой Равноапостольной Княгини Ольги).[2]
Related awards
Currently, the
Ukraine also established an Order of Princess Olga in 1997.
There was also an Order of Saint Olga and Saint Sophia awarded by the
- Grand Cross – with Riband (sash) and Star
- Second Class – with Bow and Star
- Third Class – with Bow
- Fourth Class – with Bow
See also
External links
- Presentation of the Order of St. Olga to Latvian President news article and photographs
- (in Russian) Royal House Order of Sts. Olga and Sophia (Greece) shows photographs of awards
- History of Award
References
- ^ Dumin, Stanislaw. "Order of St. Olga". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ^ a b c d Лозовский Е.В. Награды Романовского юбилея (Награды, учреждённые к 300-летию Дома Романовых в 1913 г.) (in Russian). medalirus.ru. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ^ Alamy
