St Gabriel
(594-668 AD)

    St Gabriel passed away on December 23, 668 AD. 130 years after his death, the epidemic Cholera entered the St Gabriel Monastery and its surrounding villages. It claimed 30 monks' lives in just one day. Seeing the dreadful effect, the monastery residents got scared, and they decided to take out St Gabriel's corpse from the tomb. It was displayed on the northern part of the main altar of the monastery with his staff in his hand. His body seemed to be in excellent condition and had not withered or spoiled.

    The monks spent all night crying and imploring him to beseech the Lord for them by saying; "Dear St Gabriel, ask God who loves you with your good deeds to remove this plague from us."

    In the morning, they found His body standing on the altar, where he used to stand when he was alive. The monks bowed before him, greeted him and received his blessings. At that moment, the plague had vanished. The sick came close to receive his blessings and were made well. The monastery residents thought to keep a part of the body against future plagues, but they were scared to do it. For the public's benefit, one of the young monks volunteered to cut St Gabriel's arm even though he knew he would die. He came near the body of St Gabriel and cut his right arm on Tuesday, August 31st. At that moment the monk died, all of the remaining monks cried and implored God to forgive him and give the dead monk back to them. God accepted their prayers and the monk came back to life. The corpse of St Gabriel was put back into his tomb, and the arm preserved in a gold plated box.

    May St Gabriel's prayers be with us all.

Translated from: St Gabriel Monastery History from Turkish to English

 by:

  Rev. Fr. Aziz H. Hadodo

St Gabriel Church Pastor