Order pro Merito Melitensi

The Order of Merit (Italian: Ordine di Merito; Latin: Ordo pro Merito Melitensi) is the order of merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, established in 1920. It is awarded to recipients who have brought honour to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, promoted Christian values and for charity as defined by the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike Knights or Dames of the Order of Malta (which is a military order of chivalry), those decorated with the Order are not invested in a religious ceremony, do not swear any oath or make any religious commitment. It may therefore be bestowed upon non-Catholics. Conferees include prominent statesmen, such as Presidents Ronald Reagan, who received it while still in office, and George H. W. Bush.

Its grades are grouped in three categories: the Collar, the Cross, and the Medals, including Commander at the Cross level, now rare in the Order of Malta, and has no nobiliary grades, thus being comparable to numerous orders of merit around the world, including the Papal orders, France's Order of National Merit and Britain's Order of the British Empire.

The medals are inscribed with the abbreviated Latin: Militaris Ordo Equitum Melitensum Bene Merenti, which translates roughly as Military Order Knight of Merit Well Deserved. By the medieval period both milites (from which derives the word militaris) and equites are terms for knights, even though the original distinction was foot soldiers and cavalry respectively. ^[1]

Order pro Merito Melitensi

Collar of the Order pro Merito Melitensi

Cross of the Order pro Merito Melitensi

Military Class

Civilian Class

Ecclesiastics Class

Medal of the Order pro Merito Melitensi

Old style (1920–1960)

Military Class

Civilian Class

The Order pro Merito Melitensi

Classes of the Order pro Merito Melitensi

The Order pro Merito Melitensi comprises the following classes:

• Collar
• Cross
• Medal

The Collar pro Merito Melitensi

The Collar only has a single grade, but is separated into two divisions, namely "Collar pro Merito Melitensi" for Civilians and "Collar with Swords pro Merito Melitensi" for the Military. The Collar is only awarded to Heads of State.

The Cross pro Merito Melitensi

The Cross is bestowed upon both civilians and military personnel, comprising several grades:

• Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi – Special Class
• Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi
• Grand Officer pro Merito Melitensi (with Badge for women)
• Commander pro Merito Melitensi (with Crown for women)
• Officer pro Merito Melitensi (with Coat of arms for women)
• Cross pro Merito Melitensi

N.B: these decorations are "with Swords" for serving military and "without Swords" for civilians.

The Cross "pro piis meritis" pro Merito Melitensi

When awarded to ecclesiastics, it has the same cross as awarded to civilians and military personnel. Nevertheless, this ribbon is black crossed with two thin red lines and comprises only two grades :

• Grand Cross "pro piis meritis" pro Merito Melitensi,
• Cross "pro piis meritis" pro Merito Melitensi.

The Medal pro Merito Melitensi

This class has three grades: Gold, Silver and Bronze. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals (including the corresponding grades with Swords) are grades of the Order within the Medal category and are not external decorations.

Ribbons

There are only three different types of ribbons for both the medal and the crosses.