New York, April 3, 2025
Photo: archons.org
The Archons of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have announced that this year’s recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award will be former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The award will be presented on October 18 at the New York Milton Midtown Hotel, the Archons report.
As in past years, the award focuses on how the awardee has served the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Archon National Commander Anthony J. Limberakis explains that Pompeo “has consistently demonstrated a heartfelt and deeply informed concern for the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and all of the religious minorities in Turkey, as well for the plight of all those around the world who have suffered for exercising their freedom of conscience.”
The announcement recalls Pompeo’s meetings with Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros during his tenure as Secretary of State. According to Limberakis he is “a staunch and steadfast defender of human rights.”
Pompeo also spoke at an Archons conference in 2024, the announcement recalls, at which he praised Pat. Bartholomew for granting autocephaly to the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”
During his time as Secretary of State, Pompeo met with and expressed support for “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko and other OCU leaders. Dumenko is himself a former recipient of the Archons’ human rights award, although his organization openly and violently persecutes the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine.
Constantinople group gives human rights award to Epiphany as his church continues to persecute Ukrainian faithfulDumenko was solemnly awarded the Athenagoras Human Rights Award, given every year “to a person or organization that has consistently exemplified by action, purpose and dedication, concern for the basic rights and religious freedom of all people,” during the annual banquet of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle.Pompeo has publicly acknowledged that with his help, the U.S. pressured for international recognition of the schismatic OCU, and OCU “bishops” themselves have openly stated that Pat. Bartholomew was able to create the OCU in 2018 only because he had U.S. support.
Secretary Pompeo openly acknowledges U.S pressure on Churches to recognize Ukrainian schismaticsOrthoChristian has written of the U.S’s role in creating and propagandizing the OCU many times, and OCU hierarchs have even openly spoken about it at times. Pro-Constantinople and pro-schismatic hierarchs and media outlets have routinely dismissed such statements and reports as “Russian propaganda.”
Makary Maletich: Patriarch Bartholomew decided to grant autocephaly because he had U.S. supportIn a new interview with the Ukrainian outlet Channel 24, Makary Maletich states that were it not for the support of the U.S. along with Germany, France, and the UK, Pat. Bartholomew would never have dared to give the tomos.Several months ago, Pompeo was pranked by famous Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus. Thinking he was speaking with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the former Secretary of State said about the creation of the OCU:
I know, I was in the middle of it. I’m so proud of what happened. By the way, I think it has made a difference in the war. So I give His All-Holiness Bartholomew and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church [meaning the OCU—Ed.] leadership major honor for what they did.
And in his view, the idea that Zelensky and the OCU leadership are persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is “nutso.”
Other past recipients of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award include Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, former Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, and President Joe Biden (Vice President at the time).
Archons to give Patriarch of Alexandria human rights award for helping Constantinople oppose the Russian ChurchArchon National Commander Anthony J. Limberakis explains that Pat. Theodoros was chosen because he supports Constantinople’s self-understanding as the first without equals and stands against the Moscow Patriarchate.
Greek Orthodox group gives human rights award to pro-choice Gov. CuomoThis award has caused serious repercussions throughout the Orthodox Church, as well as among Catholics, as Gov. Cuomo is a staunch and unabashed promotor of abortion and same-sex marriage—two ''evils of the day'' that the Orthodox Church can in no way condone.Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!
