| Medal of the V Centenary of Saint Barbara | |
|---|---|
 Medal of the V Centenary of Saint Barbara | |
| Type | Military decoration |
| Awarded for | Public recognition of the celebration of the Fifth Centenary of the Proclamation of Saint Barbara as Patron of the Artillery Weapon |
| Presented by | Military Archbishop of Spain for the Artillery Weapon of the Spanish Armed Forces  |
| Eligibility | All Artillerymen in any administrative situation, as well as former replacement artillerymen and students of the Artillery Academy, and the Ladies of Santa Barbara. Personnel, associations or institutions considered especially deserving of this distinction after appraisal of merits by the Artillery Arm or by own initiative of concession of the Military Archbishop. Spanish Military Chaplains in any administrative situation. |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Established | 4 December 2021 |
 | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Campaign Medal |
| Equivalent | Medal of the Century of Our Lady of the Pillar |
The Commemorative Medal of the Fifth Centenary of the Proclamation of Saint Bárbara as Patron of the Artillery Weapon, commonly called the Medal of the V Centenary of Saint Barbara, is an official Spanish decoration created on December 4, 2021[1][2] to commemorate the five hundred years of patronage of Santa Barbara[3][4] to the components of the Artillery Weapon of the Spanish Armed Forces.[5] Created by the Military Archbishopric of Spain by virtue of the Agreements between the Spanish State and the Holy See of 1979,[6] decreed by D. Carlos Jesús Montes Herreros, Military Ordinary of Spain, after the death of the Military Archbishop of Spain Juan del Río Martín[7] in January of that same year, and the consecration of the newly appointed Military Archbishop-elect Juan Antonio Aznárez Cobo is still pending.[8]
On November 25, 2021, Pope Francis convened the Jubilee Year of Saint Barbara as patron saint of the Artillery Weapon,[9] a determining circumstance for the creation of this medal as a more enduring sign of this tribute to the Patron Saint of artillerymen,[10] who also belongs to the group of the fourteen Holy Helpers of the Church.
They can be recognized with this medal, by virtue of article 2 of the Creation Decree:[11][12]
a) In their own right: all Artillerymen in any administrative situation, as well as former replacement artillerymen and students of the Artillery Academy, and the Ladies of Santa Bárbara.
b) The personnel, associations or institutions considered especially deserving of this distinction after assessment of the merits by the Artillery Arm or by own initiative of concession of the Military Archbishop.
c) Spanish Military Chaplains in any administrative situation"
The award of the Medal may be imposed by the chaplains on the occasion of an act related to the Artillery Weapon or its Patron.[13] The granting instances, who have the right to provide concessions, must submit their requests to the Military Artillery Arm or Archbishopric, depending on the applicant, being granted in everything by the Military Archbishop or Military Ordinary, in the absence of the former. The period for awarding the medal began on December 4, 2021 and will end on December 4, 2022, except for an extension decreed by the Military Archbishop.
As established in Annex I of the Creation Decree,[15] the decoration hangs from a longitudinally divided red and black ribbon, representative colors of the artillerymen.