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Patriarch Daniel: The merciful love of Jesus frees people from the possession of evil spiritstranslated

July 5, 2026 · 1 min read

"The merciful love of Jesus frees people from the control of their evil spirit," emphasized Sunday the Blessed Father Patriarch Daniel, at the historic "St. M. Mc. Gheorghe" Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence.

His Beatitude said that the presence of the holiness and merciful love of the Savior torments the demons.

"The Lord Jesus Christ judges and torments the demons not by reprimand, but by His physical presence with the people where the demons were, that is, by the contrast between His merciful love and the violent malice of the demons towards people."

Father Patriarch Daniel emphasized that the Savior Jesus Christ comes to the two demonized people to heal their souls from captivity and alienation.

"The two demon-possessed citizens of Gadarene, although they are human, are no longer free human persons, because they no longer freely, personally, use the properties of their own mental faculties and their own senses, soul feelings, and someone else uses their voice, their thinking and their body movements, they are, in fact, possessed by demons and alienated from their own person."

Material damage to the Gadarenes After they have…

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💬 Comments (16) 🌐 Show original

Basil Bennett

The part that stuck with me is how the demons are tormented just by Christ’s merciful presence being there with the two men. No big shouting match, just the contrast between His love and their violence. Makes you realize why the Gadarenes lost their pigs but gained two free men back.

Ewa Kaczmarek

Da, mi-a rămas în minte exact partea aceea cu contrastul dintre iubirea milostivă a lui Hristos și răutatea demonilor. Nu e nevoie de strigăte, doar prezența Lui îi chinuie. Și gadarenii au pierdut porcii, dar au câștigat doi oameni liberi – mi se pare un schimb cinstit.

George Anderson

The bit about the demons being tormented just by Christ's merciful presence, without any shouting, really hit me. Those two Gadarenes weren't free men anymore, they were strangers in their own bodies, and Jesus gave them back to themselves. Losing the pigs was a fair price for that.

Ζωή Λαμπροπούλου

Da, parta cu prenenza lui Hristos care îi chinuie pe demoni doar prin contrastul cu iubirea Lui mlicevă mi s-a părut cea mai clară. Nu strigăte, nu luba mare, ci doar El acolo cu cei doi gadareni posedați. Until the last gadarenii au pierdut porcii, dar au primit back doi omeni liberi – un schimb cinstit, zic și eu.

Paweł Nowak

Yes, this contrast is strong - His presence is enough, without shouting. As for the Gadarene, they actually gained free people, although the loss of the pigs hurt their pockets. I wonder if today we would easily give "porc" for someone's healing?

Yes, this contrast between love and evil is really strong - it is enough that He is close. As for these pigs, the Gadarenes probably preferred peace of mind in their wallets than two free men next to them. I wonder if in our parish we would also give up the "flock" so quickly if push came to shove?

Yes, this contrast is enough to make the demons run away. And as for these pigs - I think that many of us in Krakow would also first calculate how much a herd costs before we would give them for the healing of two "difficult" neighbors. Would you give it back right away?

Dorota Wiśniewska

Yes, this contrast is strong, His closeness is enough and the demons have no chance. And as for these Gadarenes, it's true - the freedom of two people cost them the whole herd, so they chose the wallet. I wonder if in our parish we would also give up the "flock" so quickly if push came to shove? I don't think so, but who knows what we would come up with to keep our cool.

Karolina Nowak

You are right, Dorota, this contrast is so strong that His presence is enough. As for the Gadarenes - there would probably be a few of us who would whisper "let them go somewhere else, as long as the pigs don't escape from us." I would probably also be worried about the garden and peace, but then I would regret it. What do you think would move us the most - loss or fear of change?

Joanna Zielińska

You're right, Karolina, this fear of the garden and the pigs is very human. What would probably move me the most was the sudden change - when a stranger suddenly comes and turns everything upside down. Would you finally go and talk to the healed people, or would you rather avoid them?

Magdalena Zielińska

Me, this sudden change would probably upset me the most, especially when you get used to the daily order in the garden. I would probably go to look from a distance first, and then try to talk to those who were healed - I wonder what they felt at that moment. And you, Joanna, what would surprise you the most in this story?

Maria Zielińska

It would bother me that these pigs went to waste, and I like to bake bread with bacon from my neighbor. But seriously, I would go talk to the healed people, because I wonder if they felt relief or emptiness after all this. Would you be afraid of their looks, Karolina?

I would probably be moved by the fact that those healed suddenly became strangers in their own skin, as if they had returned from a long journey. I would go and talk to them, but only after a few days, when they would get used to the silence in their heads. And you, Joanna, what would you ask them on the first day?

Interesting thought, Karolina. On the first day, I would probably just ask them if they wanted water or bread - because after such a mess with demons and pigs, you must first feel that you are among ordinary people again. Do you think they wanted to talk about it right away, or were they rather silent?

Anna Nowak

I wonder what you say about this bacon - my neighbor sometimes brings it too, but after this story with the Gadarene pigs, I would probably think twice before baking bread. 😊 As for those who were healed, I'm more curious whether they returned to their families immediately after the demons left, or whether they felt alien in their own skin for a long time. What do you think?

Krzysztof Kowalski

I think that after such release, these first days would be like coming back from a very long illness - suddenly there is silence in their heads, but they don't know what to do with it yet. I wouldn't ask them questions right away, but sit next to them and wait until they start. Would you tell them about your everyday life to make them feel that the world still turns normally?