Order of the Cross of Liberty
The decorations of the Order of the Cross of Liberty are conferred upon citizens for military merits, activities in support of the Finnish Defence Forces and national defence, voluntary work in national defence and activities strengthening the external security of our country, for example, in international crisis management.
A decoration of the Order of the Cross of Liberty can also be conferred upon a foreign national. A decoration can be awarded to brigade-level units of the Finnish Defence Forces and Finnish institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for war-time merits in activities in support of national defence and post-war merits honoured alongside them.
Proposals for the conferral of a decoration are usually made by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and public administration organisations, but the parties eligible to make proposals have not been separately determined or limited.
The main rule in awarding a decoration is that at least seven years must have passed from the previous Finnish decoration received by the person concerned.
The Grand Master of the Order of the Cross of Liberty is the President of the Republic, who has an exclusive right to decide on the conferral of the decorations.
The Grand Master of the Order is assisted by the Chapter of the Order, which prepares the proposals for awarding decorations to be decided by the Grand Master. The members of the Chapter of the Order are Chancellor, General (retired) Ari Puheloinen; Vice Chancellor, Lieutenant General (retired) Sakari Honkamaa; Secretary, Lieutenant General (retired) Eero Pöytsiä and Treasurer, Rear Admiral (retired) Timo Junttila.
The clerical staff of the Order consists of Liaison Officer, Major Markus Lahti and Chancery Clerk Eija Raihila. The Chancery of the Order is located in connection with the Defence Command.
Decorations are usually awarded in connection with the Flag Day of the Defence Forces (4 June) and Finland’s Independence Day, but also at other times where necessary.
The decorations of the Order of the Cross of Liberty are:
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Cross of Liberty First Class with breast star of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Cross of Liberty First Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Cross of Liberty Second Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Cross of Liberty Third Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Cross of Liberty Fourth Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Medal of Liberty First Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Medal of Merit First Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Medal of Liberty Second Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Medal of Merit Second Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
The special decorations of the Order of the Cross of Liberty are as follows:
- Mannerheim Cross First Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Mannerheim Cross Second Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Medal of Liberty First Class with Rosette of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Medal of Merit in gold of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Cross of Mourning of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Medal of Mourning of the Order of the Cross of Liberty
The colour of the ribbon of the Crosses of Liberty awarded in peacetime is yellow and the colour of those awarded during wartime is red.
The decoration of the Order of the Cross of Liberty is awarded with swords to military persons and without swords to civilians. The Medal of Liberty is awarded to military persons and the Medal of Merit of the Order of the Cross of Liberty to civilians.
The Cross of Liberty Cross of Mourning is a keepsake awarded to a next-of-kin of a fallen soldier. Only the widow or the mother or the eldest daughter has the right to wear it. Otherwise, the right to wear it is not inherited.