In 1977, an SED delegation led by Erich Honecker arrived in Moscow to attend celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution. On November 1, 1977, CPSU head Leonid Brezhnev bestowed the Order of the October Revolution on his guest. Honecker’s role in establishing friendly relations between the Soviet Union and the GDR, his contributions to the “consolidation of peace and socialism,” and his 65th birthday were all honored that day. The Supreme Soviet had instituted the Order on October 31, 1967, the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, to honor outstanding service in the name of communism. By the time Honecker was recognized, the Order had already been bestowed on 18 cities, 350 “work collectives,” and 83,000 deserving individuals.