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An ecclesiastical decoration is an order or a decoration conferred by a head of a church.
Orders, decorations, and medals of the Holy See
| Award | Notes |
|---|---|
| Blessed sword and hat | Gift offered by popes to Catholic monarchs or other secular recipients in recognition of their defense of Christendom |
| Golden Rose | Conferred as a token of reverence or affection to churches and sanctuaries, royalty, military figures, and governments |
| Fidei et Virtuti | Decoration for military merit bestowed by the Holy See during the Italian unification |
| Pro Petri Sede | Decoration for military merit bestowed by the Holy See in the Second Italian War of Independence |
| Benemerenti medal | For long and exceptional service to the Catholic Church |
| Jerusalem Pilgrim's Cross | Support for Christian holy sites during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land |
| Lauretan Cross | Merit in relation to the Basilica della Santa Casa |
| Papal Lateran Cross | Recognition of merit bestowed by the Cathedral chapter of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran with authorization of the Holy See. |
| Per Artem ad Deum Medal | Presented by the Pontifical Council for Culture in recognition of the achievements which contribute to the promotion of dialogue between the diversity of cultures in the contemporary world and thus promote man as an individual |
| Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice | Conferred for distinguished service to the Roman Catholic Church by lay people and clergy |
Other Catholic distinctions
| Award | Presented by | Recognizes |
|---|---|---|
| James Cardinal Gibbons Medal | Catholic University of America | Distinguished and meritorious service to the Roman Catholic Church, the United States of America, or The Catholic University of America |
| John Courtney Murray Award | Catholic Theological Society of America | Work on religious liberty |
| Laetare Medal | University of Notre Dame | Outstanding service to the Catholic Church and society |
| Order of Saint Ignatius of Antioch | Syriac Catholic Church | Lay order. Recognised as legitimate ecclesiastical decorations by the International Commission on Orders of Chivalry (2006):[1] |
| Order of Saint Michael (Bavaria) | Archbishop of Cologne | Military order |
| Order of Saint Nicholas (Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton) | Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton | Lay order |
| Pacem in Terris Award | Quad Cities Pacem in Terris Coalition | Individual achievements in peace and justice, not only in their country but in the world |
| Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem | Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch | Promote Catholic faith and to support religious, cultural and social works of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Holy Land. Recognised as legitimate ecclesiastical decorations by the International Commission on Orders of Chivalry (2006):[1] |
| Patronal Medal | Catholic University of America, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception | Distinguished service in the advancement of Marian devotion, theology, or general appreciation of the place of Mary in the life of the Catholic Church |
| Paul VI Prize | Paul VI Institute | Individuals or institutions who, with their studies and their works, have contributed to the growth of the religious meaning in the world |
| Ratzinger Prize | Ratzinger Foundation | Those who perform promising scholarly research relating to or expounding upon Pope Benedict XVI's work |
| Saint Albert Award | Society of Catholic Scientists | To a Catholic scientist whose life and work give witness to the harmony that exists between the vocation of scientist and the life of faith[2] |
Local ecclesiastical distinctions
- Jerusalem Pilgrim's Cross, established in 1901, conferred in the name of the Sovereign Pontiff at the office of the Custody of the Holy Land of the Order of Friars Minor in Jerusalem, Israel
- Cross of Honour of the Abbot of Lilienfeld, founded in 1980, of the Abbot of Lilienfeld, Austria[3]
- Order of Saint Nicholas, a regional lay order founded in 1991 by Bishop Ignatius Ghattas of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton[4]
- Medal,[5] Great Cross,[6] and Golden Order of the Maronite General Council of the Maronite Church[7]
- Cross of São Tomé of the Roman Catholic Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe in São Tomé and Príncipe
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Several autocephalous churches of the Eastern Orthodox communion award ecclesiastical decorations.
| Award | Given by | Recognizes |
|---|---|---|
| Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate | Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | Laity for service to those portions of the Eastern Orthodox Church under the patriarch's particular guidance. The archons are organized in two orders:
|
| Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow | Russian Orthodox Church | Services in the revival of spiritual life in Russia |
| Order of Saint Righteous Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy | Russian Orthodox Church | Courageous service to the Russian state or contributions to cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Armed Forces |
| Order of St. Sava | Serbian Orthodox Church | Meritorious achievements in the arts, science, education and religion. |
| Patriarchal Cross of Romania | Romanian Orthodox Church | Ecclesiastical service |
Others include:
- The Byzantine Order of the Holy Sepulchre, awarded by the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem.
- The Order of the Holy Lamb (est. 1935), awarded by the Finnish Orthodox Church.
- The Order of Bishop Platon (est. 1922), awarded by the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church.
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In addition to the Lambeth degree, the Archbishop of Canterbury awards the following to recognise outstanding service in various fields.[8]
- Archbishop of Canterbury's Award for Outstanding Service to the Anglican Communion
- Cross of St Augustine for contributions to the life of the worldwide Communion, or to a particular autonomous church within Anglicanism, or members of other traditions who have made a conspicuous contribution to ecumenism
- Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism
- Canterbury Cross for Services to the Church of England
- Archbishop's Awards for ministry priority areas (six awards named after former Archbishops of Canterbury)
- Dunstan Award for Prayer and the Religious Life
- Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation
- Alphege Award for Evangelism and Witness
- Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship
- Langton Award for Community Service
- Cranmer Award for Worship
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- Honourable Order of Jerusalem, the highest distinction presented by the World Methodist Council. It is conferred for exceptional service to the Methodist Church.[9][10]
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