Order of Merit
Ordem de Mérito
Plaque and badge of the Commander
Awarded by Portuguese Republic
TypeOrder
Established1927 as the Order of Instruction and of Benefaction
1929 as the Order of Benefaction
1976 Current form
EligibilityPortuguese and foreign citizens; military or civilian
Awarded forMeritorious acts or services in the exercise of any functions, public or private, revealing self-sacrifice in favor of the community.[1]
StatusCurrently constituted
Grand MasterPresident of the Portuguese Republic[1]
ChancellorMaria Helena Nazaré[2]
GradesGrand Cross
Grand Officer
Commander
Officer
Medal
Precedence
Next (higher)Order of Camões
Next (lower)Order of Public Instruction

Ribbon bar of the Order of Merit

The Order of Merit (Portuguese: Ordem do Mérito) is a Portuguese Honorific Order of civil merit intended to award those responsible for meritorious acts or services performed in the exercise of any functions, both in the public and the private sphere, which reveal self-sacrifice in favor of the community. The decorations are given by the President of the Portuguese Republic, in his role as the Grand-Master of the Portuguese Honorific Orders. The Order of Merit can be awarded, during life or posthumously, to both Portuguese and foreign citizens; it can also be awarded to localities or institutions that are legal persons governed by public law or of public utility.[1] This order has been awarded to a number of people performing the most diverse functions such as ambassadors, businesspeople, military personnel, athletes and musicians.

History

The Order of Merit has its origin in April 1927, when the Order of Instruction and Benefaction (Original Portuguese: Ordem da Instrução e da Benemerência) was created. The goal of this now extinct order was to distinguish the services performed by people or corporations in order to further the instruction in the country. In 1929, the Order of Instruction and Benefaction was split in two different orders, the Order of Benefaction and the Order of Public Instruction, with the former now solely awarding acts related to social causes, public assistance and goodwill. In 1976, the order was renamed to its current title.[3]

Grades

Notable recipients of the Order of Merit

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2017)
Name Post-nominal Occupation Date appointed
Carlos Manuel Cabral Verissimo ComM Businessman 10 June 1990
José Cardoso Pires GCM Writer 4 February 1989[5]
Ruy de Carvalho GCM Actor 1 March 2017[6]
Mário Coelho ComM Bullfighter 23 June 2005[5]
Nicolau Breyner GOM Actor 9 June 2005[7]
Carlos do Carmo GOM Fado singer 3 December 2016[8]
Valentim Loureiro ComM Politician 18 September 1989[9]
Raul Nery ComM Musician 8 June 2012[10]
Peter Trickett ComM Scholar 8 October 2009[11]
Luso-Can Tuna MHM Tuna 28 February 2014[12]
Bruno Alves, Eduardo Carvalho, Ricardo Carvalho, William Carvalho, Eder, Eliseu, José Fonte, André Gomes, Raphaël Guerreiro, Anthony Lopes, João Mário, João Moutinho, Nani, Rui Patrício, Pepe, Danilo Pereira, Vieirinha, Ricardo Quaresma, Cristiano Ronaldo, Renato Sanches, Adrien Silva, Rafa Silva, Cédric Soares as UEFA Euro 2016 winners ComM Footballers 10 July 2016[5][13]
Tsanko Arnaudov, Jéssica Augusto, Marisa Barros, Ana Dulce Félix, Vanessa Fernandes, Patrícia Mamona, Sara Moreira ComM Athletes 13 July 2016[5][14]
Fernando Pimenta ComM Canoeist 13 July 2016[5][14]
Salvador Sobral, Luísa Sobral ComM Musicians 23 April 2018[15]
Fernando Santos GOM Football coach 10 July 2016
Fernanda Freitas OM Journalist 10 July 2013
Jim Costa ComM Politician 8 June 1996[16]
Andrzej Duda GCM Politician 26 February 2009[17]
Antonio Felix da Costa CommM Formula E driver 3 September 2020

References

  1. ^ a b c "Lei n.º 5/2011 : Lei das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas" [Law of the Portuguese Honorific Orders] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Diário da República Electrónico, 1.ª série — N.º 43. 2 March 2011. p. 1255. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Ordens de Mérito Civil" [Orders of Civil Merit] (in Portuguese). Presidência da República Portuguesa. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  3. ^ "História da Ordem do Mérito" [History of the Order of Merit] (in Portuguese). Presidência da República Portuguesa. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  4. ^ Anuário Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas 1975-2007 (PDF) (in Portuguese). Chancelaria das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas. June 2008. pp. 5–63. ISBN 978-972-8971-40-3. Archived from the original (Adobe Acrobat) on 2009-12-17. Retrieved 2010-09-12. List of all appointments to the Order of Merit correct as at December 2007
  5. ^ a b c d e "Cidadãos Nacionais agraciados com ordens portuguesas". Presidência da República Portuguesa. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Ruy de Carvalho condecorado com a Grã-Cruz da Ordem de Mérito" [Ruy de Carvalho awarded with the Great Cross of the Order of Merit] (in Portuguese). Sapo24. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Nicolau Breyner: prémios e nomeações de uma carreira" [Nicolau Breyner: prizes and nominations of a career] (in Portuguese). Observador. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Marcelo condecora Carlos do Carmo, que "enche a alma dos portugueses"" [Marcelo awards Carlos do Carmo, who "fills the soul of the Portuguese"]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 25 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Foram condecorados no 10 de Junho e caíram em desgraça". Revista Sábado. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Morreu Raul Nery". Expresso. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Cidadãos Nacionais agraciados com ordens portuguesas". Presidência da República Portuguesa. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Cavaco condecora Nelly Furtado e outros luso-canadianos". dn.pt (in Portuguese). 28 February 2014. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  13. ^ "Seleção recebe insígnias de Marcelo no Porto" [National team receives insignia from Marcelo in Porto]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 3 December 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Marcelo condecora oito atletas com a Ordem do Mérito" [Marcelo awards eight athletes with the Order of Merit]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 13 July 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  15. ^ "Eurovisão. Irmãos Sobral nomeados comendadores por "êxito singular"". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  16. ^ Senate, California Legislature (1997). Journal of the Senate, Legislature of the State of California. California State Printing Office.
  17. ^ "Chancelaria das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas" (PDF). dre.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 September 2010.
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