NEW YORK, NY –
His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York, [of the Roman Catholic Church], will be the recipient of the 2026 Athenagoras Human Rights Award, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate [AEP] have announced.
The award will be presented on Saturday, October 17, at the AEP’s annual Athenagoras Human Rights Award black-tie banquet at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York City.
“Throughout his sixteen years as Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan consistently demonstrated heartfelt and deeply informed concern for human rights and human dignity, and particularly for the well-being of Christians and people of other faiths around the world who are suffering for exercising their religious freedom”, stated Archon Grand Aktouarios and National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Dr Anthony J. Limberakis.
“He has been a true friend and ecumenical partner of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, laboring indefatigably to strengthen the relationship between our sister churches. Cardinal Dolan’s long and distinguished record of defending human rights makes him a most worthy recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award”, he added.
According to the official announcement of AEP, “Cardinal Dolan has exemplified the highest values of leadership in seeking to improve the global human condition. His service on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty and the Justice Department’s Religious Liberty Commission, among his many other actions in support of religious freedom, demonstrates his lifelong commitment to the all-important cause of defending freedom of conscience and the dignity of every human being before God”.
Established in 1986, the Athenagoras Human Rights Award is given in honor of Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, who served as Archbishop of the Americas for 18 years before being elected Ecumenical Patriarch in 1948. He was universally acknowledged as a visionary leader and worked for peace among churches and people throughout his life.
Previous recipients include President Joseph Biden, former President Jimmy Carter, former President George H. W. Bush; Mikhail Gorbachev; and Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
