St. George Ribbon Recalls Russian Heroism

In preparation for this holiday, you may start to see a particular orange and black striped ribbon appearing on cars, posters, bags, purses, and even our own correspondents and news anchors.

If you're asking yourself what it means, then we are here to explain the importance of that small striped ribbon.

It's called the Ribbon of St. George, and today it represents the commemoration of World War II, as well as being an important reminder of Russia's heroic past. The ribbon consists of a bicolor pattern with three black stripes and two orange ones. It is believed that the colors represent smoke and fire.

The ribbon is not only connected to Russia's triumph in WWII, it also traces its origins way back to the times of Imperial Russia, when it was introduced as the highest military decoration instituted by Catherine the Great. Known as the Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George, the award came complete with the ribbon attached to a St. George cross. In some cases, when the full order was not bestowed, some were given ceremonial swords with the ribbon, or even Georgian-themed banners.

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