Mercy for the demoniactranslated
On Sunday 24th after Pentecost, at the Sunday Divine Liturgy, the Gospel of Luke is read about the healing of the demon-possessed Gadarene (Luke 8:26-39). Jesus Christ and his apostles cross the Sea of Galilee and land in the Decapolis. This is a union of ten cities in Eastern Transjordan, one of which was Gadara. This area was inhabited predominantly by pagans. It had its own currency and had its own time calculation.
When He came ashore, a man from the city met Him, dressed by demons for a long time, and not wearing clothes, and living not in a house, but in tombs. This unfortunate man was dangerous for people, so he lived far from the city in tomb caves. Desert places were considered the abode of demons. Then, in the Christian tradition, the same idea became established among monastic circles: the desert is a place where prayer is not performed, which means unclean spirits live there. Therefore, the monks retired to desert places in order to “conquer” this territory through prayer and heroism from the enemy of the human race.
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell before Him and said in a loud voice: What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torture me. For Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out...
