With the blessings of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, and on behalf of the National Council of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will present the Archon Sophia Award for Excellence to Archon Hon. Michael J. Kratsios. The presentation will be made on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Archon Agape Family Luncheon, during the annual Archon Weekend at the New York Hilton Hotel in New York City.
The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate give the Sophia Award for Excellence annually to an individual or individuals who have distinguished themselves in endeavors that serve the needs of the Holy Mother Church and the Sacred Mission of the Archons of the Great Church of Christ.
Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, remarked: “Archon Michael Kratsios exemplifies the Archons’ mission to bring the light of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and unwavering dedication to the global ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to all sectors of society, including the scientific, the political, and cultural realms.”
“Archon Michael,” Dr. Limberakis continued, “has a profound devotion to God’s Holy Church that informs, guides and illuminates his leadership of U.S. government efforts to spearhead American scientific discovery and technological innovation, including in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, nuclear energy, and space.”
Archon Kratsios stated: “I am immensely honored to receive the Sophia Award for Excellence, and will continue to strive in all my endeavors for the Church and in my professional life to show myself worthy of this recognition. Above all, I am deeply honored to be a part of this group of hard-working, dedicated, and devoted individuals who are determined to support and defend our Holy Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.”
Archon Hon. Michael J. Kratsios is President Trump’s science and technology advisor. As an Assistant to the President and the thirteenth Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Michael oversees the development and execution of the Nation’s science and technology agenda. He leads the Trump administration’s efforts to ensure American leadership in scientific discovery and technological innovation, including in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, nuclear energy, and space. In July 2026, Michael published Science: A New Golden Age, a blueprint for the most comprehensive overhaul of the American scientific enterprise in 75 years.
Michael previously served as the fourth Chief Technology Officer of the United States at the White House and as Under Secretary of War at the Pentagon. Michael has been twice confirmed by the U.S Senate and is a recipient of the War Department’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest civilian award conferred by the Department.
Prior to the White House, Michael invested in, advised, and built technology companies in Silicon Valley. A South Carolina native, Michael graduated from Princeton University and served as a Visiting Scholar at Beijing’s Tsinghua University.
During his confirmation hearing, he said: “My mother and my grandfather came to the United States from their native Greece in search of a more prosperous future. They instilled in me that enduring optimism for a better tomorrow. And I believe that embracing technological innovation, building new technologies in America and shaping those technologies with American values will lead us to that stronger future.”
In 2020, Archon Kratsios accompanied former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on his visit to Greece, and negotiated the groundbreaking science and technology agreement between the Hellenic Republic and the United States.
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew invested Michael J. Kratsios as an Archon on Oct. 31, 2021 and conferred upon him the offikion Kastrinsios. The annual Archon Agape Luncheon is a highlight of the AEP’s Annual Archon Weekend, which will be held this year at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City from October 16 to 19. The Sophia Award for Excellence was inaugurated in 2021, and was first presented to Santiago Calatrava, the internationally renowned architect who designed the Saint Nicholas Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan.
For a list of all previous recipients, visit: archons.org/sophiaaward
