Princeton, NJ: The American School of Classical Studies at Athens is pleased to announce that the Overseers of the Gennadius Library have selected the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Gennadius Prize. This highest honor of the Gennadius Library recognizes outstanding contributions to Greek learning and Hellenism.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has existed continuously since the 4th century CE and is recognized as the spiritual and administrative center of the Eastern Orthodox world. It has contributed to the preservation of Greek (the language of the Gospels and the early Fathers of the Church) as a primary medium of expression, as intellectuals adopted the aesthetic values of earlier pagan literary culture and employed concepts of Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy to articulate Christian doctrine. The Patriarchate has championed and preserved ancient, medieval, and modern Greek literary culture for more than a millennium.
In making this year’s selection, the Gennadius Library Overseers wish to honor the Ecumenical Patriarchate for its profound and enduring contributions to the preservation, promotion, study, and transmission of the tenets of Hellenism through the centuries. The Gennadius Prize will be presented at the annual Gala of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, taking place on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Gotham Hall in New York City. As part of this special evening, the American School will also debut a short documentary film, featuring distinguished scholars as they illuminate the monumental cultural legacy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
In speaking about the award, Andreas Zombanakis, Chair of the Board of Overseers of the Gennadius Library, reflected, “This award recognizes the resilience and vital role of this ancient institution in the preservation and promulgation of Hellenic culture through the ages.”
Maria Georgopoulou, Director of the Gennadius Library, added, “The Ecumenical Patriarchate, an enduring cultural institution that has been instrumental in the diffusion of Greek knowledge and the safeguarding of Hellenic heritage, has shaped centuries of scholarship, art, and intellectual thought.”
Past recipients of the Gennadius Prize include the A.G. Leventis Foundation (2016), Lloyd Cotsen (2017), the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (2018), Professor Curtis Runnels (2020), and Professor Mark Mazower (2021).
For inquiries about the American School’s 2025 Gala, including sponsorship opportunities, tickets, and the exciting events planned for Gala Week, please contact Andrew Federico, Stewardship and Events Manager, at afederico@ascsa.org.
About the American School and the Gennadius Library: The American School of Classical Studies at Athens is the leading American research and teaching institution in Greece dedicated to the advanced study of all aspects of Greek culture from prehistory to the present. Founded in 1881 as the first American overseas research center, the School is a consortium of nearly 200 universities, colleges, and other academic institutions in the United States, Canada, and Greece.
The Gennadius Library, a centerpiece of the American School’s main campus in Athens, opened in 1926 and has grown into an unparalleled repository of knowledge. Its collection now includes 150,000 titles of rare books, exquisite bindings, research materials, manuscripts, and works of art, illuminating the rich tapestry of Hellenism, Greece, and neighboring civilizations from antiquity to the modern era.
Photo: Dimitrios Panagos.
