[i]CHICAGO, IL[/i]: His Grace [b]Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos[/b] was the Guest Speaker at the monthly meeting of the prestigious Cigar Society of Chicago on Thursday, May 18. Bishop Demetrios presented the documentary "Modern Christian Martyrs", which highlights the ongoing Genocide of the Christian minority population of the Middle East, as well as giving an a opening address and question/answer session.

One of the oldest and greatest traditions of the city clubs of Chicago, Illinois, is the discussion of intellectual, social, legal, artistic, historical, scientific, musical, theatrical, and philosophical issues in the company of educated, bright, and appropriately provocative individuals, all under the beneficent influence of substantial amounts of tobacco and spirits. The Cigar Society of Chicago embraces this tradition and extends it with its Informal Smokers, University Series lectures, and Cigar Society Dinners, in which cigars, and from time to time pipes and cigarettes, appear as an important component of their version of the classical symposium.

The documentary “[b]Modern Christian Martyrs[/b]” concerns the ongoing Genocide of the Christian minority population of the Syria, focusing on the Alkhoury family of Chicago and featuring Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Bishop Munib Younan, US Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Father Nicholas Dahdal, Reverend Stan Davis and Rabbi Michael Balinsky, just to name a few. The documentary was produced by the Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministeries and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. You can watch this powerful documentary "Modern Christian Martyrs" here: [b]www.chicago.goarch.org/news/2017/4/10/6s5j1wcombz3geog120u61ss8j0kmr[/b]

[b]Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos[/b] serves as the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, under the leadership of Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago. In his position, he travels throughout the Metropolis of Chicago to visit most of the parishes annually. He has received nationwide recognition for his human rights activities and interfaith outreach, including his leadership in ending the death penalty in Illinois, state resolutions calling for Religious Freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and just last year for the official recognition by the United States of the Genocide by ISIS against the Christian minority population of Syria and Iraq.

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest Christian denomination worldwide. The Metropolis of Chicago oversees all Greek Orthodox Parishes within Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, as well as large portions of Missouri and Indiana. You can find more information on His Grace Bishop Demetrios and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago on our website: [b]www.chicago.goarch.org[/b].

Contact: John C. Ackerman

Director of Media Relations

Phone: (309)635-7624

Email: [email protected]