In
translation from Yiddish the name “Gabriel” means “the man of God”, “God’s
strength”, or “God’s power”.
Archangel
Gabriel is one of seven archangels sent by God to inform people that some great
events are coming.
He
explained to Prophet Daniel his dreams about the kings and kingdoms and about
the time when the savior would come: “Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer,
even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being
caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And
he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to
give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the
commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly
beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy
weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the
transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for
iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision
and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that
from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto
the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the
street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after
threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the
people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;
and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war
desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one
week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the
oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it
desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon
the desolate” (Daniel, 9:21-27)
Archangel
Gabriel helped Prophet Moses in the desert, when he was writing the book of
Genesis. Moses received God’s revelation through Archangel Gabriel about the
creation and first years of the world.
The
Archangel told priest Zechariah that that his aging infertile wife will bear John the Forerunner: “And there
appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar
of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon
him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard;
and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name
John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his
birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither
wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from
his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord
their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of
the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zacharias said unto
the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well
stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that
stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee
these glad tidings” (Luke, 1:11-19).
Archangel
Gabriel appeared to Anna and Joachim, who was fasting in the desert. He told
them that they would have a daughter, and she would become the Mother of
Messiah, who would save the humanity. This great Archangel became the guardian
of young Mary. After the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he brought
her some food and fed her.
God sent
the Archangel to Nazareth, who appeared to the Virgin Mary, engaged to Saint
Joseph, and he proclaimed, that she was blessed to give birth to the Son of
God: “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of
Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph,
of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in
unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his
saying, and cast in her mind what manner of
salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for
thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and
shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him
the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for
ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel,
How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said
unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest
shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of
thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke, 1:26-35).
Archangel
Gabriel visited Saint Joseph as well. He explained that the virgin was pure, as
the child was conceived from the Holy Spirit:
“Now the
birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to
Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public
example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these
things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a
son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from
their sins” (Matthew, 1:18-21).
When
Christ was born, the Archangel appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem at night
and told them: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were
sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born
this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this
shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger” (Luke, 2:8-12).
Archangel
Gabriel informed Saint Joseph about king Herod and ordered to escape and run to
Egypt with the Infant and the Theotokos: “And when they were departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take
the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I
bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he
arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into
Egypt” (Matthew, 2:13-14).
“But when
Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in
Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the
land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he
arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of
Israel” (Matthew, 2:19-21).
Some
church scholars think, that Archangel Gabriel was sent to support the Savior in
Gethsemane. He had also to announce the Dormition of the Mother of God. What is
more, Archangel Gabriel taught a monk from Athos the honoring song “Axion
Estin”.
That is
why the Church calls Archangel Gabriel “the evangelizer of God’s miracles and
mysteries”, the announcer of joy and salvation, the executor of Divine power.
The Holy
Church depicts Archangel Gabriel with a paradisal branch, which he brought to
Virgin Mary, or sometimes he is depicted with a torch in his right hand and a
transparency in the left one. The Archangel is painted with a transparency
because he is the evangelizer of salvation. The candle in the torch means, that
some acts of God can be secret till the moment it time to reveal them. And then
they can be accepted only by those, who look into the transparency of God’s
word and consciousness. That is why those who bear the name Gabriel possess the
type of faith, for which nothing is impossible – just as the Savior said.
CONVERSATION