A small exhibition in the 独家爆料 Library Main Reading Room will be on view until July 31. Presented on the occasion of the American School’s Gala 2025 in New York City, this small exhibition celebrates the enduring legacy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, recipient of the 2025 独家爆料 Prize, the highest honor bestowed by the 独家爆料 Library for its critical role in the preservation of Greek language and learning through the ages.

Showcasing rare materials from the Library’s collections, the exhibition explores three interconnected themes:

  • Constantinople as a center of Orthodox faith, imperial power, and Greek learning, illustrated by a 17th-century manuscript plan of the city and a facsimile of Melchior Lorichs’s 1599 panoramic view of Istanbul, which together evoke the spiritual and physical grandeur of the city;
  • The establishment and activity of the Patriarchal Printing Press, which by the late 18th century—170 years after the first attempt to found a press by Patriarch Cyril Lucaris in collaboration with Nicodemus Metaxas—had emerged as a key vehicle for preserving Orthodox identity and promoting education among the Christian communities of the Ottoman Empire; 
  • The contributions of important patriarchs and scholars, such as Photius of Constantinople, whose works—alongside others in this exhibition—testify to the lasting theological and intellectual influence of the Patriarchate.

 

                              

On display are theological treatises, apologetic works, multilingual dictionaries, and scientific and nautical manuals—testimonies to the rich literary and educational output associated with the Patriarchate and its broader role in safeguarding Hellenism.

The exhibition complements the American School’s tribute to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which includes the premiere of the short film Guardians of Hellenism: The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, featuring a recent interview with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and contributions by eminent scholars. 

Curated by Maria Georgopoulou and Irini Solomonidi.