On July 28th Russian Patriarch Kirill awarded Vladimir Putin with the Church Order “St. Alexander Nevsky – First Class” in St. Petersburg, expressing his satisfaction with the complete agreement between the church and the authorities in Russia, informes Interfax.ru. On the day of the president’s name day, he declared that Putin is “the first truly Orthodox president of Russia.” The patriarch expressed his joy that the two “share the responsibility for the development of the country today”, which, according to him, is very positive,. “Today, the government and the church together strengthen traditional values and contribute to the patriotic education of the youth,” said the Russian Patriarch.

Patriarch Kirill also congratulated Putin on the Day of the Baptism of Rus, which is celebrated in Russia on July 28.

The Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky is a general ecclesiastical award of the Russian Orthodox Church, is included in the list of the highest orders of the Russian Orthodox Church and is the fifth highest order of the Russian Orthodox Church. The order’s motto is “God is not in might, but in truth.” The order has three degrees. The Order was established by decree of Patriarch Kirill and the Holy Synod on April 13, 2021, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky.

The Order of Alexander Nevsky is awarded to: military personnel, diplomats, statesmen, clergy, monastics and laymen who have made an outstanding contribution to the defense and prosperity of the Fatherland, to the strengthening of peace and harmony between the peoples living in it, to the development of interstate relations relations, the external relations of the Russian Orthodox Church and who also made an outstanding personal contribution to the perpetuation of the feat of the noble prince, including the construction of temples and other monuments associated with his name.

Photo: Prince Alexander Nevsky. Miniature from the Tsarskiy titulyarnik (Tsar’s Book of Titles).

Note: Prince Alexander Nevsky (1221-1263) at different times had the titles of prince of Novgorod, Kiev, and later – grand prince of Vladimir. He received the nickname Nevsky after his victory over the Swedish army in the battle of July 15, 1240. He won many military victories and also became famous as a politician and diplomat. In 1547, Alexander Nevsky was canonized as a saint.