Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

Order of Merit of the
Italian Republic
Ordine al Merito della
Repubblica Italiana
Order of Merit of the; Italian Republic; Ordine al Merito della; Repubblica Italiana
	Emblem of the order
Awarded by the Italian Republic
Type	Order of merit
Established	3 March 1951
Country	Italy
Eligibility	Civilian and military divisions
Criteria	Meritorious service or achievement
Status	Currently constituted
Founder	Luigi Einaudi
Grand Master	President of the Republic
Grades	Knight Grand Cross with Collar; Knight Grand Cross; Grand Officer; Commander; Officer; Knight;
Post-nominals	OMRI
Website	www.quirinale.it/page/omri
Precedence
Next (higher)	None
Next (lower)	Military Order of Italy
	; Ribbon of the order; ;

The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italian: Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.^[1]

The highest-ranking honour of the Republic, it is awarded for "merit acquired by the nation" in the fields of literature, the arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities and for long and conspicuous service in civilian and military careers. The post-nominal letters for the order are OMRI.^[2]

The order effectively replaced national orders such as the Civil Order of Savoy (1831), the Order of the Crown of Italy (1868), the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572) and the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (1362).^{[note 1]}

^ Sainty, Guy Stair. World Orders of Knighthood and Merit (pp. 1233–4). Buckingham: Burke's Peerage and Gentry, 2006.
^ The linguist: Journal of the Institute of Linguists, Volumes 42–44 Institute of Linguists (Great Britain). Institute of Linguists, 2003, pg. 121
^ LEGGE 3 marzo 1951, n. 178 Istituzione dell'Ordine "Al Merito della Repubblica Italiana" e disciplina del conferimento e dell'uso delle onorificenze (Gazzetta Ufficiale 30 marzo 1951, n. 73)

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[1] Sainty, Guy Stair. World Orders of Knighthood and Merit (pp. 1233–4). Buckingham: Burke's Peerage and Gentry, 2006.

[2] The linguist: Journal of the Institute of Linguists, Volumes 42–44 Institute of Linguists (Great Britain). Institute of Linguists, 2003, pg. 121

[3] LEGGE 3 marzo 1951, n. 178 Istituzione dell'Ordine "Al Merito della Repubblica Italiana" e disciplina del conferimento e dell'uso delle onorificenze (Gazzetta Ufficiale 30 marzo 1951, n. 73)

[1]

[2]

[note 1]