Hellenistic religion of asclepius in the late Greco-Roman culture in the light of the Christian spiritual tradition

The desire to heal is a cultural characteristic of the late Hellenistic and Roman period. The updating of religious feeling became the result of intense self-reflection of the ancient man, much different from the feelings inspired by religions of classical antiquity. Another cults gained strength along with the formal departure of the official worship of the gods of Olympus and Rome. One of them was the updated cult of Asclepius. Religious people feel of the Hellenistic age was expressed in the dream of good miracle worker, healer, savior, creating the cultural background for the adoption of the Gospel. Nevertheless, the prototype is not a full likeness of the image, and it is not true to identify Asclepius with Christ.