Following the passage of Illinois State Resolution (SR) 70 on May 31, a call for the Turkish government to loosen restrictions and return confiscated properties to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (and a similar resolution from the City of Chicago), His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos together with two members of the “Friends of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from Peoria Committee”, spearheaded by Frank Lagouros, and three other faithful from the Metropolis of Chicago, made a pilgrimage to Constantinople. The purpose of the trip was twofold: firstly, to celebrate the feast day of His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch (June 11, St. Bartholomew the Apostle) and visit the historic and religious sites in Constantinople and Cappadocia, secondly to present His All Holiness with the resolutions from the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois, thereby demonstrating their unwavering support from His All Holiness, the Patriarchate, and all those Christians of Constantinople who are still suffering under the yoke of religious persecution. Similar such resolution have now been passed in 42 states.