Royal Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius царски Поръчка на Кирил и Методий |
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Awarded by The King of the Bulgarians |
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Type | Dynastic Order |
Royal house | House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry |
Religious affiliation | Bulgarian Orthodox |
Ribbon | Light Orange. |
Eligibility | The Bulgarian Monarch and Heir Foreign Heads of State |
Status | Rarely currently constituted |
Sovereign | King Simeon II |
Grades | Knight Grand Cross with Chain |
Statistics | |
Established | 18 May 1909 1909 - 1946 (National Order) 1946 - present (House Order) |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | None (Highest) |
Next (lower) | Royal Order of Saint Alexander |
The ribbon of the Order |
Order of Cyril and Methodius | |
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1st Class Order of Cyril and Methodius
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Awarded by People's Republic of Bulgaria |
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Type | Order |
Status | Obsolete |
Grades | Three |
Statistics | |
Established | 1950 |
Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius | |
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Awarded by President of Bulgaria |
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Type | Order |
Awarded for | merits in the fields of art, science, educationa and culture. |
Status | Currently constituted |
Grades | Three |
Statistics | |
Established | 29 May 2003 |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Order of Stara Planina |
Next (lower) |
Order of Civil Merit Order of Military Merit |
The Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius is an award conferred by the Republic of Bulgaria.
It has had three incarnations :
The Order was established on 18 May 1909 by Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria (grandfather of current formerly-King Simeon II), the first Grand Cross of this order to be awarded to the highest state officials.
It consisted of one class: Grand Cross, represented by a Collar, a Sash and a Breast-star.
The collar of the members is gilded-silver and alternately shows a standing, crowned lion facing left and a fleur-de-lis.
The ribbon of the Order is pale orange.
The badge of the Order is a gilded Byzantine cross enameled in light blue. In the cross angles, green enameled beams are mounted, on each of which is a stylized lily. In the medallion resting figures of Saints Cyril and Methodius are seen standing side by side. The medallion is edged with a golden ring on the blue enameled inscription "EX ORIENTE LUX" (light coming from the east).
The breast star has the shape of a Maltese cross and is made of silver. In the cross angles blazing flames are seen with applied lily. In the centre of the cross is a representation of a seraph.
Former King Simeon II of Bulgaria considers this version of the order to be his dynastic order and wears it - from left shoulder to right hip - on official occasions such as the wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden and Daniel Westling (Photos 1, 2)
The People's Republic of Bulgaria instituted the Order of Cyril and Methodius (the word Saints was dropped under the communist regime). It was awarded as an honour in the fields of science, culture, or painting