Order of Saint Michael the Archangel
| Imperial Order of Saint Michael the Archangel | |
|---|---|
Awarded by  Head of the House of Romanov |
|
| Type | Dynastic Order |
| Royal house | House of Romanov |
| Religious affiliation | Russian Orthodox |
| Ribbon | Light Orange with a thin white Stripe on either side |
| Awarded for | (1) Individuals who have distinguished themselves in the struggle for the liberation of Russia from godless communism, as well as fighters against communism in other countries; (2) Individuals of distinguished services in Charity and Philanthropy |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Sovereign | Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia |
| Grades | Knight Grand Cordon Knight/Dame Commander Knight/Dame |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1988 21 November 2012 (Reformed) |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Imperial Order of St. Stanislaus |
| Next (lower) | Imperial Order of St. Princess Olga |
 The Ribbon of the Order |
|
The Order of Saint Michael the Archangel (Russian: Императорский Орден Святого Михаила Архангела), is a Dynastic order of knighthood of the Russian Imperial House. The Order is currently awarded by HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, and does not confer nobility in any class. It celebrates its foundation on the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel and the Synaxis of the All-Bodiless Powers on the 21/8 November (NS/OS).
The order was founded in 1988 by HIH Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia, Head of the Imperial House of Russia. It was created in commemoration of the 1,000 years of Russian Orthodoxy, the 375th anniversary of the ascension to the throne of the House of Romanov, and the 50th anniversary of his own accession as head of the dynasty. At the time of its establishment, the Order was conferred in only one class for Knights and Dames, and was awarded to "individuals who have distinguished themselves in the struggle for the liberation of Russia from godless communism, as well as fighters against communism in other countries."
In 2012, in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the end of the Time of Troubles, the Order was reorganized by Vladimir Kirillovich's daughter Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, "for the purpose of strengthening and further developing the Russian Imperial tradition of philanthropy." The Order is now awarded to "individuals of both sexes for distinguished services in charity and philanthropy."
The Order of Saint Michael the Archangel has three classes, as follows:
The Device of the Imperial Order of Saint Michael the Archangel is a four-pointed cross, black-enamelled gold, with flanged arms, centering a round enamel medallion. On the face is an image of Saint Michael the Archangel in gold, surrounded by a blue outer ring. On the back, appears the monogram of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich with the date “1613” in gold, and the monogram of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, with the date “1988.” The cross is suspended from a Russian Imperial Crown.
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