The Order of Saint Nicholas Thaumaturgus was instituted during the Russian Civil War

Russian Civil War

The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...

 on April 30, 1920, by the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian White Army, General Wrangel, to replace the highest military award of the Russian Empire

Russian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...

, the Order of St. George

Order of St. George

The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...

. St. Nicholas was considered the patron saint

Patron saint

A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...

 of the White Army.

Description

The order is an iron cross, in the center of the cross is a circle with an image of Saint Nicholas Thaumaturgus on dark-blue enamel. Around this image is a laurel wreath, the symbol of glory. Around the wreath is the motto of the order: "Russia Will Be Saved Through Faith" ("Veroyu spasetsya Rossiya"). On the reverse side of the cross is a circle half of dark-blue enamel and half of white, with the date "1920." The order is worn on a ribbon of the Russian national colors (white-dark blue-red)."