OCU lobbyist Mike Pompeo awarded for defending religious freedom

Presentation of the award to Mike Pompeo. Photo: J. Mindala

On October 18, 2025, in New York, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and National Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew – Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Dr. Anthony Limberakis, presented the Archons’ Athenagoras Human Rights Award to former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

In a special message, Patriarch Bartholomew noted that Pompeo was “recognized for his consistent advocacy for religious freedom and his steadfast support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and other religious minorities during his distinguished public service.”

Archbishop Elpidophoros called Pompeo “a leader in the struggle for human rights and guarantees of religious liberty across the globe,” highlighting his “special love and concern for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.”

During the ceremony, Pompeo praised Patriarch Bartholomew’s decision to grant autocephaly to the OCU. He said, “The wisdom of Patriarch Bartholomew’s decision was unfortunately made even clearer by the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as the Kremlin has continued to use the Russian Orthodox Church as a spy network within Ukraine, and has cynically enlisted Patriarch Kirill to justify Putin’s war of aggression as a holy enterprise.”

About the Award

The Athenagoras Human Rights Award was established in 1986 in honor of Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, who served as Archbishop of America for 18 years before being elected Patriarch in 1948. Previous recipients include President Joe Biden, Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, Elie Wiesel, Mother Teresa, and other prominent figures.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in 2019 the Archons’ award was presented to Serhiy Dumenko for “defending the privileges of Constantinople.”

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