Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
Encyclopedia
The Royal Family Order of Saints Olga and Sophia was an order
of the Greek royal family
. Reserved for women, it was the third highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state and the Crown after the Order of the Redeemer
and the male-only Order of Saints George and Constantine
. It was instituted in January 1936 by King George II
in the memory of his grandmother (Queen Olga) and his mother (Queen Sophia
).
The order was abolished in 1973 by the Greek state and today is awarded only by the Head of the former Greek royal family.
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
of the Greek royal family
Greek Royal Family
The Greek Royal Family was a branch of the House of Glücksburg that reigned in Greece from 1863 to 1924 and again from 1935 to 1973. Its first monarch was George I. He and his successors styled themselves "Kings of the Hellenes"...
. Reserved for women, it was the third highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state and the Crown after the Order of the Redeemer
Order of the Redeemer
The Order of the Redeemer , also known as the Order of the Savior, is an order of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state.- History :...
and the male-only Order of Saints George and Constantine
Order of Saints George and Constantine
The Royal Family Order of Saints George and Constantine was an order of the Greek royal family. For the duration of its existence, it was the second highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state and the Greek crown, after the Order of the Redeemer...
. It was instituted in January 1936 by King George II
George II of Greece
George II reigned as King of Greece from 1922 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1947.-Early life, first period of kingship and exile:George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia...
in the memory of his grandmother (Queen Olga) and his mother (Queen Sophia
Sophia of Prussia
Princess Sophie of Prussia was Queen of the Hellenes as the wife of King Constantine I.-Princess of Prussia:...
).
The order was abolished in 1973 by the Greek state and today is awarded only by the Head of the former Greek royal family.