Feast Day: November 2nd
The Life of Saint Gabriel: Monk Gabriel made no discrimination in people. He shared in the joys and sorrows of all the people who came to him. How many of them were saved from being fallen into the abyss of Spiritual darkness. With his ability of prophesy he put them on the Path of Truth…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: As the Master Christ his His Divinity, clothing it in humanity, and, unseen by us, brought into being His ineffable Glory, likewise didst thou hide they glory by means of foolishness, and by the wonder of thy Confession wast shown forth as a Shepherd of Souls; O Venerable Father Gabriel, entreat Christ God to have Mercy on our Souls.
Kontakion: Immeasurable is the Mercy of God, by Whose goodness we behold His creation divinized, O Venerable Father, thou didst confirm in thyself the Image of thy Creator, and exalted thy being to the likeness of God, therefore we glorify thee O Father Gabriel, for thou art worthy of all praise, thou wast on Earth a trumpet of righteousness, a preacher of love and dove of purity, and thine all-wondrous humility hast opened to the world a treasury of wisdom and now in Heaven art thou, the advocate of God’s Mercy and our Salvation.
Megalynarion: We Bless thee, O Venerable Father Gabriel, and we honour thy Holy memory, thou instructor of Monks and converser with Angels.
Apolytikion: Having been adorned with a Godly life, as a God-inspired Archimandrite, let us praise Gabriel with all reverence, as a light-house of clairvoyance and a healer of the sick, whose grave richly pours forth rivers [of healings], as we cry out to him: O Father, from above Bless all those who honour you.
“In the End Days a man will be saved by love, humbleness and kindness. Kindness will open the gates of Heaven; humbleness will lead into the Heaven; a man, whose heart is filled with love, will see God.”
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“If you only knew how great a Blessing comes from the Divine Liturgy, then you would collect even the dust from the floor of the Church to wash your faces with it.”
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“When you say the Name of the Lord, get up and Cross yourself.”
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“You have to be nourished with Divine love and not just on food.”
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“Though I lived in a cemetery, the Lord freed me from my fears and confirmed to me that a person has nothing to fear before God–except for sin!”
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Beloved Father Gabriel… At Holy Week, he did not fool around, did not joke, did not laugh, was thoughtful. He was experiencing the sin committed by humanity – the Crucifixion of Christ. On Good Friday, in such a frightened, loud and mournful voice, he shouted: ‘Help… Help… Christ carries the Cross along Calvary…’ There was no person in the Church who would not weep, the parishoners exclaimed and cried loudly… during the Liturgy, he said from the pulpit with tears in his eyes: ‘Do not leave… Do not leave the Blessed Virgin Mary! She is suffering now! Now all the Orthodox are near the Mother of God, who dares to leave her?! We must be near her… She is the Mother! She suffers for the torment and death of her Son!’ After all that was seen and heard, the congregation thought that they had seen with their own eyes the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ…
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“Why does a person fall spiritually? To wake up again. If it does not fall, it will never stand, it will never be strengthened by faith. The Lord allows all our failures to strengthen us only in faith.”
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“If you see your neighbour’s misfortune, start Praying for him. Learn to do this little by little. And believe that Prayer can move mountains.”
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“When you eat food – remember the hungry, thirsty and suffering.”
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“Conscience is a little God. Test yourself well before bedtime. Give yourself an account: what you did, what you didn’t like, where you sinned, what you had to say. Always be mindful of yourself.”
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“Evil men don’t exist. I have not yet met that type of person.”
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“True faith is found in one’s heart, not mind.”
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“This is my last will and testament: raise your Prayers for everyone; your Prayers will move the mountains. Love each other.”
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“A man whose heart is filled with love will see God.”
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“True faith is found in one’s heart, not mind.”
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“Seas dry up, mountains collapse, but the Glory of Christ remains for ever.”
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Quotes by Saint Gabriel
Love your enemies – it’s clear. But how to love enemies of Christ? Stop hating and then you will be able to love them. How to love the evil man? Hate the evil, but love those who do evil. Who knows maybe one day they will repent their sins by the powers of Prayer, tears and confession and become like an Angel. Everything is God’s Will. Love everyone; if you can’t, at least show a goodwill.
Do not abandon Panagia! Now she is suffering! Now, all Orthodox Christians are close to the Mother of God… Who would dare to abandon her? We must be near her… She is a Mother! She suffers for the tortures and the death of her Son!
Remember and understand me well: without Christ, all is nothing!
Faith and love are perceived through sufferings… If you have everything else but love, you have nothing.
Judging is a great sin, when we exalt ourselves above others. All who exalt themselves are abominable before the Lord. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (Matt. 23:12). When you judge others you judge God. Whether you’ve seen a thief, a loose woman, or a drunkard sprawled on the street, do not judge, because the Lord allowed their passions. Through these they should find the path to God — they should be humbled, see their own powerlessness, come to know the Lord, and repent. And are you pleasing to God? That means that the Lord in His grace and mercy is restraining your passions. Know that if He lets them go you will fall into worse sins, and perhaps you won’t manage to climb out of those sins and you’ll perish. Therefore be humble and cautious. You saw that a person sinned, but did you see how he later repented? Then don’t judge! Like a thread passing through the eye of a needle, so man experiences the same sin that he judged in another.
Love will tame even the fiercest lion.
Other people’s sins are not your business. Sit and cry for your sins!
If you disdain even one person, you are far from the Heavenly Kingdom.
The husband came to the Priest for a Blessing. The wife was pregnant. Father Gabriel began to instruct them to live a Christian life, not to quarrel, to watch their speech, that the child could hear everything. The husband had objections: “What do you say, Father Gabriel, they do not hear our talk behind the wall, how can a child hear in the womb?” “So you do not believe me? I ask you, do you not hear the Word of God?” The child began to jerk so strongly that his mother holding her stomach ran out of his Cell.
When somebody curses your faith in your presence and you stay silent – you are worse than the blasphemer.
When you judge others, you judge God.
Monasticism is an Angelic Order; you have to go through fire.
If a Muslim obeys the Ten Commandments, the great Mercy of God descends on him, the Truth will be revealed to him and he will become Orthodox. The searcher finds this, and there are many such examples.