Patriarchal Diplomas, Orders and Distinctions
According to art. 26 paragraph (39) of the Statute for the Organization of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Romania confers patriarchal distinctions to clerics and lay members of the Romanian Orthodox Church, as well as to personalities from the country and abroad who support the activities of the Romanian Patriarchate.
At present, in accordance with Article 148 paragraph (1) of the Statute, in addition to the annual honorary and commemorative distinctions and diplomas, the Patriarch of Romania awards the following honorary diplomas, orders and patriarchal distinctions:
Honorary Diploma
„Saint Apostle Andrew - Patron of Romania”
Awarded to clerics and laymen with a rich pastoral-missionary, administrative-ecclesiastical, didactic-educational and social-philanthropic activity, promoting inter-Orthodox, inter-Christian and inter-religious dialog;
Order
„Anton Pann”
Awarded to laymen (accompanied by a badge) and the Order “Macarie Protopsaltul” to clerics (accompanied by a pectoral cross) with a special activity in promoting church music, but also folk music;
Order
"Venerable Saint Paisius of Neamț (Velichkovski)”
Awarded to clerics (accompanied by pectoral cross), monks (accompanied by insignia cross) and laymen (accompanied by insignia cross) with outstanding activity in defending and promoting the dogmatic, canonical and liturgical unity of the Orthodox Church and in supporting inter Orthodox relations;
Order
"Saint Pious John Jacob of Neamt, New Chozebite”
Awarded to hierarchs (accompanied by engolpion), clerics (accompanied by pectoral cross), monks (accompanied by insignia cross), laymen (accompanied by insignia cross), with outstanding activity in supporting and promoting Orthodox Christian literature, librarianship, pilgrimages, Orthodox faith in the Orthodox diaspora, and monastic life;
Order
"Sanctus Stephanus Magnus”
With grammata, for clerics (accompanied by pectoral cross) and laymen with outstanding activity in the defense and promotion of Christian values and in the service of the Orthodox Church;
Order
"Holy Martyrs Brancovans”
With grammata, for hierarchs (accompanied by engolpion), for clerics (accompanied by pectoral cross), for laymen (accompanied by insignia cross), with outstanding activity in the defense and service of the true faith and in the promotion of Romanian culture and spirituality;
Order
"Maria Brâncoveanu Cross"
With grammata, for the honouring of Christian women, with special activity in fruitful and useful service to the Church and society;
Order
"St. John Chrysostom"
With grammata, for hierarchs (accompanied by the engolpion), for clerics (accompanied by the pectoral cross), for laymen (accompanied by the insignia cross), with special activity in the defence and service of the true faith, as well as in the promotion of Christian family values and philanthropy;
Order
"Saints Sovereigns Constantine and Helen"
With grammata, for clerics (with pectoral cross) and laymen with outstanding activity in the defence and promotion of Christian values, in the service of the Orthodox Church, and in support of inter-Orthodox and inter-Christian dialogue;
Order
"Saint Anthim the Iberian"
With grammata, for hierarchs (accompanied by engolpion), for clerics (accompanied by pectoral cross), for laymen (accompanied by insignia cross), with special activity in the defence and service of the true faith, as well as in the promotion of Christian culture and art;
Order
"Saint Apostle Andrew - Patron Saint of Romania"
Order
"Mother of God in Prayer - Oranta"
With grammata, for hierarchs (accompanied by an engolpion), for clerics (accompanied by a pectoral cross) and for laymen (accompanied by a cross insignia), to great ecclesiastical and civil personalities, in the country and abroad, as a moral reward for outstanding efforts and results in the service of the true faith and in the promotion of Christian liturgical values;
Order
"Faith and Communion"
With a grammata, for hierarchs (accompanied by an engolpion), for clerics (accompanied by a pectoral cross) and laymen (accompanied by a cross insignia), to great ecclesiastical and civil personalities, in the country and abroad, as a moral reward for their efforts and results of exceptional activity in the defence and service of the true faith, as well as in the promotion of the unity and image of the Romanian Orthodox Church in society, both nationally and internationally;
Order
"Patriarchal Cross"
Awarded to clerics and laymen, with grammata, for exceptional and long-lasting activity in the pastoral-missionary, administrative-ecclesiastical, didactic-educational and social-philanthropic fields, promoting inter-Orthodox, inter-Christian and inter-religious dialog.
This order represents the highest distinction of the Romanian Patriarchate.
