Ordinul Național Steaua României în grad de Colan. Istorie și actualitate
The National Order of the Star of Romania – 1st Class Collar. Past and present

Summary/Abstract: The National Order of the Star of Romania is the highest distinction awarded by the Romanian state. His history is over 150 years old. The Order of the Union, the precursor of the Order of the Star of Romania, was instituted by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza in 1864 to symbolize the desire for independence of the Romanian people. As the Romanian Principalities were still under Ottoman suzerainty, this order could not be created by law, but it was occasionally granted by the prince as a personal gift. Subsequently, after the proclamation of the Romanian state’s independence, King Carol I instituted by royal decree, on 10 May 1877, the National Order of the Star of Romania which replaced the Order of the Union created by Alexandru Ioan Cuza, with slight alterations. The law creating the National Order of the Star of Romania, is considered as a first act of sovereignty, after the declaration of the country’s independence from the Ottoman Empire. Under King Carol II, the Order was reorganized, and after the instauration of the communist regime in Romania, the Order of the Star of Romania was abolished in 1948. Following the demise of the communist regime in Romania, in 1998 an Urgency ordinance reinstated the National Order of the Star of Romania, which was subsequently consecrated by Law no. 77 of 7 May 1999. Currently this order is the highest decoration of Romania. It is awarded to both Romanian and foreign citizens, as a token of appreciation for exceptional civil or military service to the Romanian state and people, during times of peace or war. The National Order of the Star of Romania has six ranks, with the Collar rank added to the other ones. The National Order of the Star of Romania has been awarded to several hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Collar rank, which is the highest, was awarded to Patriarch Teoctist Arăpașu (post mortem) and His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, on 22 July 2021, on his 70th anniversary, in recognition of his pastoral, missionary, cultural, social and charitable activity.

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