The Order of St. Sava

• Time Period: Pre-WW1, Interwar Period
• Institution: 1883
• Country: Other Countries

The Order of St. Sava was a decoration of merits established originally to recognize civilians for meritorious achievements to the Church, to arts and sciences, the royal house and the state and awarded by the Kingdom of Serbia, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1883 to 1945.

The Order of St Sava was then awarded by the king of Yugoslavia until the abolishment of the monarchy in 1945.

Since 1985, the Order has been awarded on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of St. Sava. This order is dedicated to ecclesiastic and secular persons, who have special merits for the Serbian Orthodox Church. According to the ordinance of the church, each person who received a medal of third grade, may receive the medal of the higher grade as well as the first grade for future merits, provided that three years have passed at least since the previous award.

The Order of St. Sava Design

Five grades were awarded: Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Knight.

The first grade was a medal, worn with a sash over a shoulder and additionally with a breast star. The second and third grade laureates wore the Order with a neckband. The fourth grade with a triangular suspension, a rosette was attached to the ribbon above the medal. The fifth grade had a triangular suspension without a rosette. The medals of the fourth and fifth grades were worn on the breast. All white ribbons had two light blue stripes.

The order is determined in three grades: the first one is white, the second red and the third blue colored.