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Metropolitan of Sweden: Christ сomes to those trapped in darkness and despair

July 6, 2026 · 1 min read

Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden reflected on Christ’s boundless mercy and His power to restore those suffering from spiritual and emotional bondage during his homily on the Fifth Sunday of Matthew, delivered at St. George Cathedral in Stockholm on July 5.

Drawing from the Gospel account of the healing of the two demoniacs in the country of the Gergesenes, the Metropolitan emphasized that Christ does not wait for wounded and broken people to seek Him but instead goes out to meet them in their suffering.

“Christ does not wait for the wounded person to become strong enough to find Him,” Metropolitan Cleopas said. “He goes Himself into the place of fear, confusion, and death. He enters the land of the tombs. He approaches those from whom everyone else has withdrawn.”

Referring to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom, he noted that no one dared to bring the afflicted men to Christ, and therefore Christ Himself came to them, revealing the immeasurable compassion of God for humanity.

The Metropolitan also drew parallels between the Gospel narrative and contemporary life, observing that many people today may not live among physical tombs but are imprisoned by “inward tombs”…

Source: Orthodox Times · Read the full story →

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Светлана Новикова

Thank you, Bishop Cleopas. I especially remember how Christ Himself goes to the land of tombs, and does not wait for a person to get out. There was a case in my family when a person no longer wanted to live at all, but the Lord, through a priest he knew, still found him.

Spiro Kristo

Yes, this part that says Christ himself goes to the place of the graves touched me. Even in our lives, it happens that the people around us are locked inside "internal tombs" as the Metropolitan said, and we don't know how to approach them. Thank you for reminding us that God does not expect us to be strong enough to find Him.

Никола Ангеловски

Yes, exactly as the metropolitan said, Christ himself enters the "land of the graves". I remembered now about a man from our parish in Skopje who was closed in himself for years, he didn't even go out to liturgy, and through an ordinary meeting with the priest over coffee he opened up. He didn't wait to get "strong" first.

Румяна Петрова

And I thought about these "inner graves". A neighbor of ours in Sofia didn't leave the house for years after she lost her husband, and then a young priest from the parish brought her just a bag of tomatoes from the garden and she started talking. Christ really does not wait for us to get well on our own.

Vangjel Kristo

Yeah, that part about the inner tombs blew my mind too. I often see someone in the neighborhood who seems closed in on himself, as if I don't know how to talk to him, but now I think that God can enter where I dare not. Do you think this helps us to not always wait for others to make the first move?

Тодор Иванов

Yes, that's right, Blush. These "inner graves" are often heavier than the real ones. With us in Plovdiv, a grandmother from the neighboring block did not speak for months after losing her daughter, until I brought her some fish from the dam - then she relaxed and started to tell. Christ does come through the simplest of things.

Anastasia Kristo

Yes, I liked how you connected it to our neighborhood, Vangjel. I have seen the same thing in a woman on our street who rarely leaves the house – as if she is closed in on herself. This helps us not to always wait for their step, but to pray for them and try to talk even when it seems difficult. Have you ever tried to take that first step with one of these?

Зоран Стојановски

Yes, exactly as the metropolitan said, Christ himself enters the land of the graves. I remembered now about a neighbor here in Prilep who didn't leave his house for years after the death of his wife, and through an ordinary bag of tomatoes from my garden he started talking. We don't wait for them to heal on their own.

Христо Попов

Yes, Roumiana, that's exactly how it goes - Christ often comes through some simple gesture from the side. With us in Ruse, a colleague from the repair shop, after his divorce, sat locked up at home for months, until we brought him a box of tools to help the priest's car. Then he spoke and gradually returned. I wonder if your neighbor started going to church after that?

Мария Колева

Yes, Todore, that's right – sometimes a plate of fish or mere presence opens those inner graves. With us in Sofia, a neighbor after the loss of her husband sat closed all day until we invited her to knitting in the church room - then she started talking. Christ really does use the mundane things, doesn't He?

Надежда Тодорова

Yes, Todore, I was also thinking about these little gestures. With us in Varna, a woman from the market stopped coming to church after losing her son, until we brought her some tomatoes from my father-in-law's garden - then she cried and started talking. Christ really comes through such simple things, doesn't He?

Горан Ангеловски

Yes, Zoran, you said it well about the neighbor in Prilep. I also have one such case in our parish in Skopje – the man did not even go to church after the divorce, and once we offered him to help in the tomato and onion garden, so he slowly started coming. We are not waiting, but someone needs to take a step first. What happened next to your neighbor?

Васил Костов

Yes, Nadezhda, that's how it is with these little things. In our church group last fall, we brought a grandmother from "Thrace" some fish that I caught from Maritsa, and she then came to mass herself. Christ really does not wait for us to seek him first. Are you from Varna?

Николай Костов

Yes, Vasile, that's exactly how it goes with these little gestures. And last year we took some of my pumpkin pie to an elderly woman in the neighborhood and saw her at evening service a week later. And the fish from Maritsa must have been fresh, right? Where exactly did you catch her?

Кирил Митев

Yes, Vasile, that's right – small things like that fish from Maritsa often open the door. I also brought a neighbor from "Kuchuk Paris" some tomatoes from the market and then I saw him at Sunday service. And where exactly do you cast the net, near the island or higher up?