Metropolitan Theodosius celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Zavolzhsky Monasterytranslated

On September 3, Metropolitan Theodosius of Samara and Novokuybyshevsk celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Trans-Volga Monastery in honor of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. His Eminence was served by the clergy of the Samara Metropolis. The brethren of the monastery and pilgrims prayed during the service. At the end of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Theodosius addressed those gathered with an archpastoral speech dedicated to the Gospel story of the healing of the Gadarene demoniac. The Bishop recalled that the suffering man was in an extremely serious condition: they could not tame him and hold him even with iron chains. However, upon meeting Christ, the demons who lived in him, feeling the Divine power of the Savior, were forced to reveal themselves. To the Lord’s question, the spirit answered: “Legion,” since many demons possessed the unfortunate man. The archpastor noted that sins and passions also gain power over a person if he does not want to part with them, tries to justify them and rejects repentance.

At the same time, demonic forces cannot act without God’s permission: a person gives them power over himself through his sins and unrepentant life. Turning to the gospel narrative, Metropolitan Theodosius recalled that the expelled...