AWARDS AND SIGNS OF A PUBLIC ORGANIZATION MILITARY ORTHODOX MISSION (2001–2022)

Pavel V. Bochkov

Kuzbass theological seminary, Novokuznetsk, Russia

Email: frpavel@inbox.ru

ORCID: 0000-0002-3218-6706

Issue: № 2 (34), 2026

Pages: 146

Annotation

This article explores the history and activities of the Military Orthodox Mission (Regional Public Organization "Orthodox Mission for the Revival of the Spiritual Values of the Russian People"), as well as a detailed description of its award symbols and the awards, orders, medals, and certificates established within the organization. Thanks to the blessing of the Mission for a number of cultural and educational projects and the establishment of several awards, as well as the status of advisor to the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, which the Mission's head held, the organization was effectively affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, and as a result, was often perceived as a structural subdivision of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. However, legally, the organization was independent and structurally was part of one of the all-R ussian Cossack public organizations, the Union of Cossacks Federation (UCF), which also approved the insignia, emblems, chevrons, and other badges worn by the leadership and members of the Military Orthodox Mission. The organization's unique awards system, thanks to the active work of the founder and head of the Military Orthodox Mission, I. E. Smykov (1973–2020), and the high quality of the organization's awards, received wide recognition from both the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church and numerous Cossack and monarchist organizations in Russia in the 2000 s–2020 s. This systematic description of the awards, insignia, certificates, and other symbols of the Military Orthodox Mission of the UCF during its legal registration with the justice authorities of the Russian Federation from 2001–2022, along with photocopies of the original award certificates, are being introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time and are of undoubted value for research into contemporary Russian church and public phaleristics.

Keywords

Military Orthodox Mission, Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in Russia, modern Cossacks, patriotic organizations of Russia, church phaleristics, I. E. Smykov

For citation

Bochkov P. V., priest. Awards and signs of a public organization Military Orthodox Mission (2001–2022)// Ipatievsky vestnik. 2026. № 2. Р. 146–194 (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.24412/2309–5164–2026–2–146–194