In 1999, a priest at the Chicago diocese, Fr. Demetri, is asked to visit a gang member convicted of a grisly murder whose scheduled execution is only weeks away. Meeting Andrew, a likable man with a shattered past, transforms the Greek Orthodox priest, who finds himself determined to save Andrew’s life simply because the man on death row was made in the image of God.

Flash back to seven years prior. In 1992, Fr. Demetri meets a lonely man dying from HIV/AIDS and—moved to action—spearheads the first Orthodox Christian AIDS ministry in the western hemisphere. Launched in Chicago in 1992, and initially met with skepticism by many in his own church, that ministry soon spreads to New York, then to Greek Orthodox parishes throughout the United States. That effort also unexpectedly transforms the young priest, moving him into a new realm: social justice carried out in the name of serving Jesus.

As Andrew’s execution date approaches, Fr. Demetri—in a desperate race against time—is catapulted into the middle of a controversial and very public advocacy effort to save Andrew’s life. He and other advocates appeal to the governor; Andrew’s fate hangs by a thread. When the governor—Andrew’s last hope—shows no mercy, Fr. Demetri finds himself painfully caught between society’s desire for justice and the Christian impulse for mercy, empathy for the victim’s grief-stricken family and compassion for the condemned, his own fear of failure and a deep desire to live out the gospel. Now, he must either retreat from the challenge or learn the true cost of his calling and help solve a larger problem: changing the law before the state can execute anyone else.

Demetri C. Kantzavelos is a priest, ordained bishop, social activist, and leader in the Greek Orthodox Church. The former chancellor and later bishop of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago, he also served as director of the St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine. Kantzavelos resides in Chicago, IL.

Patra Sevastiades serves as executive director of the Duluth Library Foundation. She is an author and editor of several books, including Celebration: Visions and Voices of the African Diaspora, The Vietnam Veterans, and The Hoover Dam. Sevastiades resides in Duluth, Minnesota.

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