The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian

order of merit The Order of Merit (french: link=no, Ordre du Mérite) is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by ...

. It was established in 1951 by the second

President of the Italian Republic President most commonly refers to: * President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking honour of the Republic, it is awarded for "merit acquired by the nation" in the fields of literature, the arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities and for long and conspicuous service in civilian and military careers. The post-nominal letters for the order are OMRI. The order effectively replaced national orders such as the

Civil Order of Savoy The Civil Order of Savoy was founded as an order of knighthood in 1831 by the King of Sardinia, Charles Albert, Duke of Savoy. It is now replaced by the Order of Merit of Savoy.The intention was to reward those virtues not belonging to the exist ...

(1831), the

Order of the Crown of Italy The Order of the Crown of Italy ( it, Ordine della Corona d'Italia, italic=no or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for civi ...

(1868), the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus ( it, Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the ...

(1572) and the

Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation ( it, Ordine Supremo della Santissima Annunziata) is a Roman Catholic order of chivalry, originating in Savoy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the honours system in the Kingdom of Italy, which ce ...

(1362).

Grades

Investiture takes place twice a year – on 2 June, the anniversary of the foundation of the Republic, and on 27 December, the anniversary of the promulgation of the

Italian Constitution The Constitution of the Italian Republic ( it, Costituzione della Repubblica Italiana) was enacted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 December 1947, with 453 votes in favour and 62 against. The text, which has since been amended sixteen times, ...

. However, those awards on Presidential , related to termination of service or granted to foreigners, may be made at any time. The badge, modified in 2001, bears the inscription encircling the national coat of arms on the obverse and the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

(for the union of the country) and (for the liberty of the citizens) encircling the head of Italia Turrita on the reverse.By Decree of the President of the Republic No. 173 of 30 March 2001 The six degrees with corresponding ribbons are as follows (with numbers to 2 June 2020): The order is bestowed by decree of the

, as head of the orders of knighthood, on the recommendation of the President of the Council of Ministers. Except in exceptional circumstances, no one can be awarded for the first time a rank higher than Knight. The minimum age requirement is normally 35. The Knight Grand Cross with Collar is awarded only to

heads of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...

Recipients

Grand Cross with Collar

* Presidency of Luigi Einaudi (12 May 1948 – 11 May 1955): * Presidency of

Giovanni Gronchi Giovanni Gronchi, (; 10 September 1887 – 17 October 1978) was an Italian politician from Christian Democracy who served as the president of Italy from 1955 to 1962 and was marked by a controversial and failed attempt to bring about an "open ...

(11 May 1955 – 11 May 1962): * Presidency of

Antonio Segni Antonio Segni (; 2 February 1891 – 1 December 1972) was an Italian politician and statesman who served as the president of Italy from May 1962 to December 1964 and the prime minister of Italy in two distinct terms between 1955 and 1960. A memb ...

(11 May 1962 – 6 December 1964): * Presidency of

Giuseppe Saragat Giuseppe Saragat (; 19 September 1898 – 11 June 1988) was an Italian politician who served as the president of Italy from 1964 to 1971. Early life Born to Sardinian parents, he was a member of the Unitary Socialist Party (''Partito Sociali ...

(29 December 1964 – 29 December 1971): * Presidency of

Giovanni Leone Giovanni Leone (; 3 November 1908 – 9 November 2001) was an Italian politician, jurist, and university professor. A founding member of the Christian Democracy (DC), Leone served as the President of Italy from December 1971 until June 1978. ...

(29 December 1971 – 15 June 1978): * Presidency of

Sandro Pertini Alessandro "Sandro" Pertini (; 25 September 1896 – 24 February 1990) was an Italian socialist politician who served as the president of Italy from 1978 to 1985. Early life Born in Stella (Province of Savona) as the son of a wealthy landown ...

(9 July 1978 – 29 June 1985): * Presidency of

Francesco Cossiga Francesco Maurizio Cossiga (; sc, Frantziscu Maurìtziu Còssiga, ; 1928 – 2010)
. was an Italian pol ...

(3 July 1985 – 28 April 1992): * Presidency of

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro Oscar Luigi Scalfaro (; 9 September 1918 – 29 January 2012) was the president of Italy from 1992 to 1999. A member of Christian Democracy (DC), he became an independent politician after the DC's dissolution in 1992, and was close to the centr ...

(25 May 1992 – 15 May 1999): * Presidency of

Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (; 9 December 1920 – 16 September 2016) was an Italian politician and banker who was the prime minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and the president of Italy from 1999 to 2006. Biography Education Ciampi was born ...

(18 May 1999 – 15 May 2006): * Presidency of

Giorgio Napolitano Giorgio Napolitano (; born 29 June 1925) is an Italian politician who served as president of Italy from 2006 to 2015, the first Italian president to be re-elected to the presidency. Due to his dominant position in Italian politics, some critics ...

(15 May 2006 – 14 January 2015): * Presidency of Sergio Mattarella (3 February 2015–''incumbent''):

Gallery

File:OrdMeritRepubbItal.JPG, Comparison of the pre-2001 (at left) and the (at right) badges of the Order File:Collection of all Orders of Merit of the Italian Republic (Pre-2001).jpg, All grades of the Order (pre-2001) File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - All Grades.jpg, Five grades of the Order File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Knight and Document (Pre-2001).jpg, The pre-2001 grades of the Order File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - All five grades sets (Pre-2001).jpg, Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer and Grand Cross grades File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Knight & Officer sets (Pre-2001).png, Knights and Officer Classes of the Order File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Knight and Officer grades (Pre-2001).png, Knight 5th Class and Officer 4th Class grades File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Knight & Officer (Pre-2001).png, Sets of the Knight and Officer classes File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Commander grade (Pre-2001).png, Commander 3rd Class of the Order File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Commander (Pre-2001).png, Commander set in case File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Commander set (Pre-2001).png, 3rd Class set of the Order File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Officer set (Pre-2001).png, Bestowal document of a Grand Officer grade with the insignia File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Officer (Pre-2001).png, Grand Officer set of insignia with the bestowal document File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Cross set.png, Grand Cross set of insignia File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Cross (Pre-2001).png, The Grand Cross grade of the Order in case of issue File:Order of Merit of the Italian Republic grand cross collar badge (Italy 1954-1960) - Tallinn Museum of Orders.jpg, Collar of the Order (since 2001) File:Divisa.OMRI.1.png, Wearer's guide for each grade (1951–2001) File:Divisa.OMRI.2.png, Wearer's guide for each grade (since 2001)

Notes

References

External links

Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
– Presidenza della Repubblica
Ordini dinastici della Real Casa di Savoia
{{Italian orders of knighthood Civil awards and decorations of Italy Italian Republic, Order of Merit of the Merit of the Italian Republic, Order of 1951 establishments in Italy Orders of merit