Republic of Cuba Russian awards for the Castro brothers

[Ed_Haynes]

Fidel and Raul Castro Receive Decorations from Russian Church

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 20 (acn) The Russian Orthodox Church granted its highest decoration, the Order of Glory and Honor, to the leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz.

The decoration was presented to Cuban President Raul Castro by Metropolitan Kiril, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, during a ceremony at the venue of the Cuban Council of State on Sunday night.

At the same time, His Eminence Kiril presented Raul with the Order Prince Daniel of Good Faith in its First Degree.

?On behalf of the Commander in Chief and also on my behalf, I ask you to convey our gratitude to His Holiness, the Patriarch of Russia, Alexei II. We are very happy with the visit of this Russian religious delegation and we hope it will repeat,? Raul said.

Also on Sunday night, Raul Castro and His Eminence Kiril held a private meeting.

http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/2008/1020recibendistincion.htm

[IVB]

Order "Glory and Honour"

[translated by robot]

The order is founded by definition of the Most holy Patriarch Alexii II and the Sacred Synod from March, 23rd, 2004. The order motto are words of sacred apostle Pavel "glory and honour... To everyone, doing kind".

Statute

1. The order "Glory and Honour" awards heads of the states and the governments, heads of the international and intergovernmental organisations, heads of churches and faiths, outstanding state and public figures for the considerable contribution to interchurch and interreligious cooperation, to business of strengthening of the world and friendship between the people.

2. The order has one degree, at rewarding the order badge, a star, sash and the diploma.

3. The star and an order badge wears on the right part of a breast and in the presence of other awards of Russian Orthodox Church settles down after an order "Святого Равноапостольного Великого Князя Владимира".

Description

The order badge represents a circle in which centre the medallion executed in the technician "the Rostov enamel" is located. On a medallion the olive branch against the blue sky is represented, and round it 32 pastes in diameter of 3 mm are located. They are framed with two wide laurel branches covered with green enamel. In the top part of a sign on an award the ends of branches are crossed and frame a large paste in diameter of 5 mm. Silver with gilding, cold enamel, pastes. Diameter of a sign on an award: 45 mm. Fastening: rushes on a tape.

The order star represents an eight-final star. Each beam of a star consists, in turn, of seven smooth two-sided beams, only 56 beams. Between star beams 3 mm are placed 8 fianits in diameter. In the star centre - a round medallion with the image of a pigeon in a profile, turned in the right part. In a beak at a pigeon - an olive branch. The medallion is executed in the technician of "the Rostov enamel". On a medallion circle on a green enamel field with the gilt fringing - the order motto "GLORY And HONOUR DOING KIND". Inscription letters relief, gilt. Round an inscription 2 mm are located 32 fianits in diameter. On the back a badge - a round medallion with date of establishment of an order . Silver with gilding, cold enamel, fianits, "the Rostov enamel". The sizes of a star of an order : 64х64х10 mm. Fastening: a pin. An order sash moire, blue colour, width 105 mm. The sash ends are fastened by a narrow silk ring and decorated by a silver fringe.

Regards, IVB.

[IVB]

Order of Glory and Honour: star, sash and sash badge. Nice award.

Order of Prince Danila of Moscow (1st class)

http://www.irnet.ru/numizmat/cerkov/orden_daniila.htm

and Manufacturer website (religious organisation): http://www.sofrino.ru/products/category/11/4

Edited October 30, 2008 by IVB

[Alex K]

Question, because I'm puzzled, Isn't both the Cuban regime and it's leaders avowed communists and therefore by defintion Athiest? If so, why are they accepting religious orders from the partriach of the Holy Orthodox Russian church? Sounds like a bit of "Hedging your bets" just in case! or have I missed something? Or is the church now accepting Athiests into their fold? The Lord does seem to work in very mysterious ways

regards

Alex

Edited October 30, 2008 by Alex K

[Ed_Haynes]

While Cuba is, of course, officially athiest, it is also fairly tolerant of religion. Also the Russian church is more open than one may expect; Stalin has been discussed seriously for sainthood. Stereotypes rarely work in reality.

[Guest Rick Research]

"While Cuba is, of course, officially athiest, it is also fairly tolerant of religion."

Depends on whether one listens to the oppressor or the oppressee.

Freedom of religion was also enshrined in the Soviet constitution. Of course, that was as defined by the pleasant, affable folks who ran the Club Gulag holiday resorts.

One does wonder precisely how many Orthodox Cuban comrades there are on the index cards down at the local State Security office....

Looks like the Orthodox-Church-as-it-allowed-to-be is still as much an arm of its State as ever.

[Alex K]

While Cuba is, of course, officially athiest, it is also fairly tolerant of religion. Also the Russian church is more open than one may expect; Stalin has been discussed seriously for sainthood. Stereotypes rarely work in reality.

A bit like Stalin being awarded to order of Pius for his services to the Pope, Vatican and mankind in genereal then? Apologies if this sounds slightly flippant, but whilst I agree that religion in the end to quote Lenin or was it Karl Marx/ Stalin (From memory but I could be wrong) Religion is the opium of the masses, and whilst the masses could indulge in their addiction, the true leaders of these athiest states had no truck with it. Times appear to have changed. I recall that when things started to go T*ts up fpr Stalin in 1941-42 etc he decided to re-invent religion to get the natives to fight for a "Holy Mother Russia" after spending previous decades destroying it

regards

On a lighter note, nice gongs

Edited October 30, 2008 by Alex K

[Ed_Haynes]

This will, I fear, very quickly get political -- or worse -- so I'll keep quiet. Just one historical correction (apologies to those who don't like me to use that word): The "opiate of the masses" turn of phrase was actually Engels, related to his observation that no one whose broken bone had healed should not continue to wear a cast, much as the fiction of religion would become unnecessary once the suffering of the masses (for which an opiate had been needed) abated.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Alex K]

This will, I fear, very quickly get political -- or worse -- so I'll keep quiet. Just one historical correction (apologies to those who don't like me to use that word): The "opiate of the masses" turn of phrase was actually Engels, related to his observation that no one whose broken bone had healed should not continue to wear a cast, much as the fiction of religion would become unnecessary once the suffering of the masses (for which an opiate had been needed) abated.

Hi Ed, no need to be silent, as mentioned in my post, I am happy to be corrected if my assumptions as to the owner of the phrase was incorrect I am happy to be corrected. To me it just seems strange that those who have spent a (Political) life defiling religion suddenly become emamoured by it when a pretty gong is waved in front of their noses

regards

Alex

[Guest Rick Research]

Never heard that any Pope bestowed a decoration on Stalin. A lot of stupidity has come out of the Vatican, but that one sounds apocryphal to me, having studied Catholicism and Communism equally. Heresies of BOTH varieties have always intrigued me!

I doubt Raul will suddenly start going to Confession any time soon...

Who was it that invented the term "useful idiot?"

If anyone think PIETY and moderation of tyrannical cruelty will be abated like Saul on the road to Damascus by presentation of a gong that goes right in a closet...

with a hearty handshake and thanks for the suicidal propaganda op, fool--

maybe Fidel and Raul will renounce the world and enter a Franciscan monastery to tend injured sparrows for the rest of their overly long lives....

[pride]

Government "recognizes" the right of citizens to profess and practice religious belief within the framework of respect for the law.

There are no similitudes between Cuba of today and Soviet Union.