And now important events begin. There has not been such a danger on earth since the creation of the world. This last ... Imagine a mother of five children: how should she fatten her children without accepting the seal of antichrist? You see what traps the Antichrist sets for people. It will be optional at first. But when the Antichrist reigns and becomes the ruler of the world, he will force everyone to accept this seal ...

When it is necessary to defend the faith and you do not, your soul perishes; and if you perish defending the faith, you will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. "

Sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, Elder Gabriel never wrote on papers; his words were inscribed in the hearts, minds and souls of men, guiding them on the path of salvation. And the elder did this self-sacrificingly, not sparing either physical or mental strength. How many lost souls he saved; how many fallen people he set on the path of truth; how many souls has he delivered from destruction in the sea of ​​vanity! The elder tried to achieve only one main goal - to bring his neighbor to God.

O last times- Spiritual instructions and predictions - Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze) canonized

Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze) (1929-1995):

About the last times

“In the last times, do not look at the sky: you can be seduced by the miracles that will take place there - you will be mistaken and perish.

The devil has 666 networks. In the time of Antichrist, people will wait for salvation from outer space. This will be the devil's biggest trick: humanity will ask for help from aliens, not knowing that they are demons.

When the Iberian icon of the Mother of God gathers to leave Athos, the bells will start ringing, the churches will visibly bow to see Her off. All this will be on TV. It is God's mercy for the whole world to see it and souls who should be saved would come here to Georgia.

The time will come when people will go to the mountains. But do not go alone ... Go to the forests and mountains in small groups.

For Christians, the greatest torment will be that they themselves will go to the forests, and their loved ones will accept the seal of Antichrist. Products bearing the seal of antichrist cannot harm you. This is not a seal yet. It is necessary to say the prayer "Our Father", to cross, sprinkle with holy water - and so all food will be sanctified.

Do not be afraid, the main thing is not to accept the seal of antichrist on the right hand and forehead... Do not eat the bread of a person who has received the seal of antichrist.

Lately, supporters of the antichrist will go to church, be baptized and preach the gospel commandments. But do not trust those who do not have good deeds. Only by works can one recognize a real Christian.

True faith finds place in the heart, not in the mind. The Antichrist will be followed by the one who has faith in his mind, and whoever has faith in his heart, he will recognize him.

And now important events begin. There has not been such a danger on earth since the creation of the world. This last ... Imagine a mother of five children: how
should she fatten her children without accepting the seal of antichrist? You see what traps the Antichrist sets for people. It will be optional at first. But when the Antichrist reigns and becomes the ruler of the world, he will force everyone to accept this seal. Those who do not accept will be declared traitors. Then you will have to go into the forest: ten to fifteen people together. But do not go alone or together, you will not be saved ... You will be protected by the Holy Spirit. Never lose hope. God will give you wisdom how to act.

The adherents of the antichrist will walk naked. Christians will be decently dressed. According to church canons, a woman should not wear a man's dress. A person's clothing shows his spiritual state.

Lately Georgia will shine. It will be a spiritual lift, not waving dollars as some think. Many believers will gather in Georgia. What the communists have done is just a preface. And now more important events begin. Such a danger has not been on earth since the creation of the world. This last ...

Georgia is the earthly destiny of the Mother of God. Do not leave your homeland in difficult times, do not anger the Mother of God!

Georgia will rise like Lazarus. Until there is a crowned king in Georgia, nothing good will happen.

Georgia will be reborn, but through great trials. When they say - it's all over - then he will rise and shine!

Not everyone will be saved. God won't save if you don't ask for it... He who saves his soul and helps others by word and deed will fulfill the commandments of Christ.

The struggle of the holy prophets Enoch and Elijah with the Antichrist will be broadcasted on TV.

In the last times, people will be saved by love, humility and kindness. Kindness will open the gates of Paradise, humility will bring it there, and love will show God. "

Spiritual guidance and predictions

“The seas will dry up, the mountains will collapse, but the glory of Christ will not be exhausted.

Death is transformation. Do not be afraid of death - fear the judgment of God... Imagine how your heart beats when you stand in front of a professor in an exam. How much more terrible it is to stand before God at the Judgment! The greatness of God is incomparable with anything.

Who gave you the soul, and to the One it belongs.

Strive relentlessly towards God. Seeing your striving, God will give you everything you need.

The Lord does not leave a person, but a person leaves God. Hell is separation from the Lord.

The righteous man is not afraid of God.

God is endless love.

He who loves kindness and justice loves God, and God will love him like his own son.

Whoever learns to love will be happy. Just don't think that love is an innate talent. Love can be learned and we must do it.

Without sacrifice for the sake of the Lord and neighbor, nothing in spiritual life will come of it. You cannot learn to love without sacrifice.

God does not accept empty words. God loves work. Good deeds are love

Live so that not only God loves you, but also people - there is nothing more.

God requires a heart from us, but without good deeds you cannot give your heart to God. Help a person in need - this will be your sacrifice to God. Everyone should wish for good, but doing good requires wisdom.

When you do good, you go up one level, and when you sin, you go down. Our whole life is such a movement.

Not knowing the spiritual state of your neighbor, do not give advice. Your advice could ruin him.

All dangers will pass by the humble and will not touch him. No one will enter the Kingdom of Heaven without humility.

The Lord will diminish and exalt. When I begin to consider myself better than others, then I put my tiara on my head and go out barefoot. People look at me and laugh, but I see how insignificant I am.

He who belittles himself will be exalted.

Realize your weakness, and the Lord will strengthen you.

Humility is an inextinguishable candle, pleasing to God. Grace is gold. Humility is a diamond.

A bold person is that person who does not see his sins and thinks a lot about himself. All those who are proud and vain at heart are disgusting in the sight of God.

Don't worry about the flesh, think about the salvation of the soul. Whoever defeated his tongue and womb is already on the right track.

It is bad when the tongue runs in front, and the mind remains behind.

Breaking promises is a great sin.

Some argue that they do not experience prodigal abuse, but this is nonsense: as long as there is a difference between the sexes, there will be abuse. The main thing, for the sake of love for Christ, is not to approach a woman when carnal passion overwhelms. This is a feat.

When you eat food, remember the hungry, thirsty and suffering.

The Lord shows someone else's misfortune to soften our hearts.

If you steal, then you break one of the ten commandments. Whoever does this will accept the Antichrist as it is. A believer will trust in God. And the Lord in the last times will perform such miracles for his people that one leaf from a tree is enough for a whole month. And the earth will not decrease; you cross, and she will give you bread.

Some say "it is written in a kind". But if it was written like that to a man, then why does God judge? We create our own "destiny"... If a person, recklessly putting his life in danger, dies, then fate has nothing to do with it.

Man cannot penetrate into the Providence of God. There is an allowance, will and providence of God... Allowance - when God gives a person freedom. The person does what he wants. When the will of God is at work, a person does what God tells him to do. The will of God always brings good. The providence of God rules: now it makes allowance, now it does it. When you cannot resolve the issue and do not know what to do, trust in the Providence of God, pray and do not think about it anymore.

Earlier, before the Fall, both the soul and the flesh obeyed the spirit. After the fall, the connection with the spirit was interrupted, and the soul remained under the power of the flesh. Whatever the flesh desires, the soul does. The soul moves the body. And her spirit enlightens her. For the salvation of man, God put his conscience into him. The spirit is intelligent and knows everything about conscience; distinguishes between good and bad.

Do not judge, judging - God himself. One who condemns like an empty ear of wheat, whose head is always raised and who therefore always looks down at others. If you see a murderer, or a harlot, or a drunkard lying on the ground, do not condemn anyone, because God has let go of their reason, and your reason is in his hands. If yours also lets go, you will find yourself in a worse situation: you can fall into the sin in which you condemn another and perish.

Do not always believe your eyes and your ears - both can deceive.

The one who gives unjust orders sins more than the one who obeys them.

You cannot deify an earthly person.

For God, all sins are like pebbles in the sea. There is no sin that surpasses His mercy.

First God heals, and then the doctor, but whoever does not thank the doctor does not thank God. The worker deserves a reward. The doctor's mind and hands are doing godly deeds.

Do nothing without the blessing, even if an angel in shining clothes appears - do not change the blessing given by the abbot.

In the womb, the child hears everything. Speak the word of God to him, and so educate.

In order to live in this world, to do good.

It is not proper for a Christian to whine.

God by His supreme providence tests man.

Woe to that monk or nun who does not get sick of the ailments of his people.

If monastics do not have humility and repentance, then they will not be saved, but perish.

How can you feel calm if someone is waiting for you outside. A good monk should have a sensitive heart, like a woman's.

Monastics need to live the gospel for salvation. The laity, however, need to obey the Ten Commandments.

Abbess is not only a degree, but a possibility of humility. To whom it is given for salvation, and to whom for destruction.

Religious should live in simplicity. Simplicity is the grace of God.

A monk must be firm, defend the truth, because the truth is God himself.

A monk, like a roaring lion, must defend Orthodoxy.

Monasticism is a struggle to the last breath, striving for God to death.

Monasticism is an angelic order; you have to go through the fire.

Don't leave the monastery for a long time. If a layman overcomes his passions for Christ's sake, he will be equated with monks.

For God, it doesn't matter who you are: a monk or a layman. The main thing is striving for God. But can anyone achieve perfection? However, man is saved by striving. The monastic will be asked for the monastic, and the layman will be asked for the mundane.

Without the will of God, a demon cannot even move a crumb.

Possessing a person, the demon first of all takes away the mind.

It is indecent to demand from someone what he himself did not give.

It is a great crime to print icons in secular newspapers.

You need to have only one fear - the fear of committing a sin.

All sin is enmity with God. Think about it! Who are you at enmity with ?!

Through sorrow, a person will learn faith and love.

The eye is the mirror of the soul: if the soul itself does not wish, it will not look at the bad.

Shamelessness - shamelessness - the beginning of all evil!

The confessor must be chosen at will, and having chosen, already obey. But if a confessor teaches heresy, flee from him as from evil.

Time is a great grace. It is given to a person for salvation.

You need to repent more with your heart than with tears.

Be like a child in the purity and innocence of your heart, but not in reason.

When your faith is criticized in front of you and you are silent, you are worse than that detractor.

Better to be a fornicator a hundred times over than a heretic.

When it is necessary to defend the faith and you do not, your soul perishes; and if you perish defending the faith, you will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

If you become a witness to a theft and cannot interfere, read Our Father.

For those who are in hell, the memorial service is like daylight for a prisoner.

There is money that contains Judas's share. Do not accept “Judas money” as a donation, as it will surely involve you in sin, from which you will not get out of it soon.

There is no such sinner whom God would not accept through Repentance and Communion.

The enemy of love is selfishness. The egoist does not give anything, he only wants to receive. Even all the riches of the world will not be enough.

Ecumenism is a superheore! The Orthodox Church is a ship sailing on a stormy ocean. We are Orthodox, we are on this ship.

Only with a heart full of love can one expose the sins of another person.

The wrath of God on women who had an abortion. Repent and pray continuously that God would forgive you the sin of infanticide.

Never cheat on God. Endure all the trials - and the doors of Paradise will open for you.

If you have been slandered, you have responded to good with evil, do not keep evil in your heart. Forgive and rejoice, because thanks to this you have come a few steps closer to God.

Tell a person once, twice, three times, and if he doesn't understand, leave him.

If you have sinned, repent immediately.

You cannot touch the face of the icon; it is enough to touch the frame with reverence. It is necessary to apply with love and with hope.

It is a good thing to feed pigeons and other birds.

The unreasonable mention of the name of God is unacceptable; the third commandment is violated.

Never lose hope in the providence of God.

Asking how to pray for enemies? First, start praying for those you love the most, such as your children. Then pray for the rest of your family. Then about all your neighbors and relatives, so that you don't have enemies. Bless the city where you live, but Tbil si is not alone - bless all the inhabitants of Georgia. And Georgia is not alone, it is surrounded by other countries - ask God so that people do not quarrel. Now that you have prayed for everyone and there is only one enemy left, do not leave him. Ask God to fill his heart with kindness and his mind with wisdom. This is how you can pray for your enemy.

If you do not fulfill the commandments of God, do not disturb God with many prayers, He will not hear, and your prayer will be into your sin.

If someone is sick and in need of medicine, and it must be brought from afar, perhaps at night, and through the forest to walk where wolves roam, - and you, without hesitation, set off on a journey to save your neighbor - this is love.

If you have everything, but do not have love, consider that you have nothing.

The fact that you need to love your enemy is understandable, but how to love the enemy of Christ? One should not hate him, but pity him, then you will be able to love him.

Hate evil. Love and pity the man who does evil... Maybe the one who does evil today, tomorrow by prayer, tears, fasting and repentance will be cleansed and become like an angel - everything is in the will of God. There were many such cases.

Above all canons and statutes is love.

If you hate even one person, you are disgusting before God.

You must love everyone. But if you can't, at least wish everyone well.

Pray for everyone. I leave you a testament: pray, and your prayers will move mountains. "

Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze) canonized

The Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, during a meeting held on December 20 under the chairmanship of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, canonized as a confessor and Christ for the sake of the holy fool Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze, 1929-1995). It was decided to commemorate the saint on November 2 (October 20 according to the Julian calendar).

The future Archimandrite Gabriel (in the world - Goderdzi Vasilyevich Urgebadze) was born in Tbilisi. His father was a staunch communist (he died early), however, his mother was deeply religious and raised her son in a Christian spirit. She subsequently took monastic vows with the name Anna and died at a ripe old age in 2000.

After serving in the army and returning home, Goderdzi Urgebadze did something completely unimaginable for the 1950s: he built a new temple in the courtyard of his house. The Soviet authorities repeatedly tried to destroy the church, but Goderdzi Urgebadze each time restored the temple, which is still intact.

In 1955, Goderdzi Urgebadze took monastic tonsure with the name Gabriel. However, even after that, he continued to commit acts that shocked the Soviet authorities. Thus, during a demonstration on May 1, 1965, Father Gabriel publicly burned a portrait of Lenin, for which he was arrested and charged with "anti-Soviet activities."

In the 1990s, with the blessing of Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia II, Archimandrite Gabriel lived in the city of Mtskheta in the tower of King Mirian near the Samtavro temple and the monastery of St. Nina. During these years, Archimandrite Gabriel acquired the love and respect of the Orthodox believers in Georgia. He was a seer and a healer, to whom many pilgrims from Georgia and other countries flocked every day.

Based on materials: http://3rm.info/12241; http://hranive.ru/4898/

In Mtskheta, in the monastery of St. Nina, the image of St. Gabriel was miraculously manifested.

The image appeared in the place where, after the acquisition, for some time, his holy relics rested.

It is reported that His Holiness Patriarch Ilia II visited this place and said that it was a great miracle, and that he even sees inscriptions there.

Tamara Manelashvili

http://pravoslavie.ru/87000.html

All who knew Elder Gabriel remember that he was unusually simple, humble, loving - and at the same time formidable. When he was angry or denounced a person, it was felt that the Almighty was speaking through his mouth - his words possessed such Divine authority and power. But when he noticed that a person was repenting, he hugged him, pressed him to his chest and instilled hope and love in the hearts of others. The foolish old man today, in our days, continues to strengthen people in faith, instill love in their hearts and invisibly, and sometimes even apparently, is present among believers, regardless of religion, ordinary people, starting a thorny and rescue path, which is called Orthodoxy.

August 26 is the birthday of Father Gabriel. Honoring his memory, we have chosen several stories about him - one of them happened during the life of the elder, others took place after his death: they confirm that in fact the presence of Father Gabriel is felt even today, in our many-rebellious times.

"Well, what do you say, Nodar?"

Nodar , the spiritual child of Elder Gabriel:

- Father Gabriel spent several days in my family. After the consecration of the house, we talked on various topics and prayed for the whole night. The elder told me: “Nodar, my brother, by six o'clock I must be in the monastery. Can you take me to Mtskheta? " I agreed, of course. These were the days when absolutely everyone was controlled. We headed to Mtskheta. At the exit from Tbilisi, seven armed men blocked our road and demanded to stop the car. Let me remind you that these were the 1990s.

Despite the fact that Elder Gabriel told me not to stop, I was on my guard and still stopped the car. Father Gabriel sat very calmly. I got out of the car to show the documents to strangers, but it turned out that they didn’t want documents, but my car. I resisted, although I understood that a fight with seven heavily armed "knights" was associated with risk. At that time, I saw Elder Gabriel get out of the car and walk towards us. Something extraordinary happened: it was as if a huge pillar glowing in the dark had descended from the sky, followed by a supernaturally tall, handsome, extraterrestrial man with a staff and a white beard. He hit the ground with his staff, and an extraordinary voice rang out: “Who dared to stop us ?! Shame on you?!" It was truly a supernatural phenomenon that shocked everyone. Frightened, the armed people ran in all directions. And someone, frozen in place, began to thrust our documents into our hands and asked to leave as soon as possible.

We left. Father Gabriel looked at me and asked: “Well, what do you say, Nodar? We are good fellows, aren't we? "

"Left eye, isn't it, Leila ?!"

Leila Sikharulidze , editor of the Georgian version of the book "The Old Man's Diadem":

- Finishing work on the book, we sat with several of Fr. Gabriel's spiritual children in his cell. They joked, recalled various stories from the holy fool's life, and everyone involuntarily smiled. I also wanted to joke, and I said: "When I finish working on this book, and Father Gabriel will give me in marriage!" And I was already over seventy! And suddenly ... Father Gabriel winked at me from the photograph! I was dumbfounded and could not utter a word. Nun Paraskeva asked me: "Left eye, isn't it, Leila ?!" It turns out that others also noticed this, and one of those present said: "This is nothing, sometimes he even clicks on our foreheads!"

"Remove the candles!"

Lasha Tsaishvili:

- Several years ago my sister and I were vacationing with relatives. One night my sister had a dream about Father Gabriel. He stood near the house in which we were, holding the extinguished candles in his hands and saying: "Get them out of here!" When my sister told about the dream, we were very surprised, because candles are a symbol of faith. But when we told our neighbor about this dream, she said that a few days ago there was a woman in this house who was fortune-telling by candlelight. Everything became clear to us. The sister showed the place where Fr. Gabriel stood in her dream, and we saw the stubs of candles on which that woman was reading fortune-telling. And in this case, Father Gabriel helped us, protected us from evil forces.

After the death of Fr. Gabriel, we feel his spiritual support. At one time I was very worried about my physical condition and prayed to God to restore my sight. One night I dreamed of Father Gabriel, sternly reprimanding me: “Why are you asking for a quick healing? Wait, Lord knows, there is a time for everything! " When I woke up, I called to the priest and asked him to give me some sign whether this dream was from the Lord. After a while, my relative, who was staying with us, said that when she was cleaning the room, a strange glow suddenly appeared behind her. She turned and saw that the icon that Fr. Gabriel had given me was lying on my bed. However, the icon itself could not fall off the wall and end up on my bed, because the distance from the place where it was to my bed is quite long. It was a sign from Father Gabriel. It is also surprising that when I described the person in my dream, his image completely coincided with the appearance of Father Gabriel. But I have never been able to see the priest ...

I often want to talk with Fr. Gabriel, listen to his living, blessed words, be filled and imbued with that Divine feeling that Elder Gabriel was the bearer of. A feeling called love!

http://pravoslavie.ru/105952.html

“Sacred Love of the XX century” - this is how the Georgians call their not so long ago canonized, but extraordinarily revered Saint Gabriel of Samtavria (Urgebadze).

The premiere of the film "The Elder's Diadem" in Moscow showed that in Russia this saint is loved no less - the cinema hall on the main site of the VDNKh Historical Park was almost full. Many people cried, applauded and laughed as if the film was about a close and beloved relative. About the phenomenon of this universal love, about new miracles through the prayers of the saint and about supernatural events that accompanied the shooting, we talked with the author of the film, Konstantin Gelayevich Tsertsvadze, a philologist, translator, writer and journalist.

The Monk Gabriel of Samtavria (1929-1995) was an archimandrite of the Georgian Church, who in Soviet times carried the feat of confession and Christ for the sake of foolishness. Already at the age of twelve, he knew the Gospel well, and in the courtyard of the house he made himself a tiny cell.

Returning from the army, he built a small church, all the walls of which he decorated with hundreds of icons: he cut them out of magazines, collected them in landfills and restored them. In 1955 he was ordained a priest and tonsured into monasticism with the name Gabriel.

Mom Gabrieli (this is the Georgian word for "Father Gabriel") preached on the streets, bringing people back to faith, and often did various strange things: walk without shoes, pretend to be crazy, a drunkard, a beggar.

On May 1, 1965, he set fire to a 12-meter portrait of Lenin on the building of the Supreme Soviet in Tbilisi. During interrogations he said: “You cannot idolize a person. The Crucifixion of Christ should hang in place of the portrait of Lenin. Why do you say "Glory to Lenin"? We must say 'Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ!' ”.

He was threatened with severe punishment, but he was declared insane and released. Behind the strangeness of his behavior was hidden a great love for people, the power of fervent prayer and great humility. For example, having showered a person with harsh, enlightening words and chased him away, he immediately began to tearfully pray and bless about him. Someone turned away from him as a deceived and insane, others felt his love and took advantage of his divinely inspired instructions.

Glorified as a saint in 2012. In the month of the Russian Orthodox Church, the day of commemoration of the Monk Gabriel is November 2.

Konstantin Gelayevich, we already know a lot about Elder Gabriel. Tell us a little about the author of the film.

- I am 23 years old, my childhood was spent in Georgia, I graduated from a Russian school and until 2014 had never been to Russia. V last years I often visit Russia. By profession I am a philologist-Russianist. Graduated from Tbilisi State University, Institute of Slavic Studies, then entered the General Church Postgraduate School in Moscow, where he began to work as a correspondent. Before making the film "The Old Man's Diadem", I translated the book of the same name. It was published with the blessing of His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II. I am also the editor of several books. He translated into Georgian the life of St. Basil the Blessed, the life of St. Matronushka.

He helps everyone regardless of nationality.

Do you think that in Georgia Fr. Gabriel is already as revered as Saint Matrona?

- All metropolitans and the Patriarch note that he has already become a particularly revered saint. When the grave of Elder Gabriel was opened and his holy relics were transferred to Cathedral Holy Trinity, our Patriarch spoke and said that very often believers and unbelievers ask themselves the question: what is happiness? “What is happening today is happiness,” said Patriarch Elijah. Because at the most necessary moments, the elder helps us all: both Georgians and Russians.

He was canonized in 2012, and gained power in 2014. Elder Gabriel reposed in the Lord in 1995, he is our contemporary. There are still people who knew him well. Many doubted whether to canonize or not, because even the greatest Saint Seraphim of Sarov was canonized 70 years later. But the Patriarch, like Nicholas II once about Father Seraphim, put an end to it and nevertheless canonized. I remember how then all Georgia was jubilant.

And today Fr. Gabriel has become especially dear to the people. He was his own for everyone.

"That night I wanted to commit suicide"

- I think you will agree with me that many priests talk a lot, read sermons about how Christ suffered, what deeds He did, and teach others how to do it. But the matter does not go beyond words. And the elder showed everything by his example. He suffered a lot in his life, and then he also played the fool: he could dance, go to a beer bar, while feeling who exactly needs help. My translation of the book includes the memoirs of those people who testified: “Yes, I was in a pub then and wanted to commit suicide at night. And suddenly a priest came up and said: “What are you, brother! Instead, do this and that. ” And this man began to see life from the other side. And this is how Fr. Gabriel saved so many.

It was not impossible for Mama Gabrieli

“Today, terrible things are happening in the world that can shock you: terrorist attacks, wars, deaths of innocent people, mass suicides, murders of children at the hands of their parents. People are looking for some kind of consolation. And it only comes through love. And unchurched people naturally do not understand what humility is, or why they should read the Gospel. They need a spiritual impetus, a shepherd, who will turn them on the path of salvation. And for some reason, in the case of Fr. Gabriel, everything always worked. Many people who were very far from Orthodoxy began to go to Church.

Their similarities were reported in "The Guardian"

In 1994, another saint, Paisiy Svyatorets, died. A certain parallel involuntarily arises between Father Gabriel and Father Paisius.

- We in Georgia very much venerate Saint Paisius the Avyatogorets. We were very happy when he was canonized. Even in "The Guardian" there was an article called "Mama Gabrieli in Georgia - like Paisiy Svyatorets in Greece." Such parallels were drawn back in the days when Elder Gabriel was not canonized. And a similar article came out in Greece. For some reason, everyone really draws this parallel.

"Kostya, don't print this book"

While filming a film or creating a book about a saint, some people experienced experiences of a mystical nature. Did you have something similar?

- Yes, there were many such moments. I can tell you about some of them. Three years ago, when the book about the elder had already been translated and typeset, we were going to send it to print. Found a sponsor. And suddenly I had a dream: I was sitting in front of the TV, and then Father Gabriel came in with a staff. I jumped up from the chair, I asked: "Father, is it really you?" And he was like, “Yes, yes, it's me. Where are these photocopies? " And I didn’t know what kind of photocopies were in question, and pointed to the printout of the book that was on the table. He came up, started leafing through it and said: “No, no, Kostya, don't print this book. There is no information that is needed here. " I opened my eyes and woke up. The next morning we turned on the TV, and suddenly I heard Patriarch Elijah announce that the grave of Elder Gabriel will soon be opened. It became clear that Elder Gabriel did not want the book to be published without this information. In fact, our book, which has been translated and, I hope, will soon appear in Russia, contains a lot of valuable information that appeared after the opening of the relics.

"Eh you chubby"

- There was one more case. When we were making the film, I was against it ending with the will of Elder Gabriel. He said that this is a sad tune, and I do not want to have just such a note at the end. They tried to persuade me. I resisted. And I had another dream: I was sitting, an old man came in and said: “Oh, you chubby. The last will and testament. You must change the music and record Paraskeva ”(nun Paraskeva - Elder Gabriel's cell attendant). I open my eyes, Dato Darjania calls. And what do you think? It turns out that he also dreamed about the old man and said that "a 320-kilogram plump man must do this and that." The information I received in the dream matched the information provided by the film's producer David Darjania.

The author of this film is me, the producer of the film is David Darjania. And the author of the idea and the director is nun Evfimia (Dali Mshvenieradze), who wrote the first books about the elder. As for Paraskeva's mother: we didn't have very good shots good quality and we didn't know whether to use them or not. But then, when the elder dreamed of me, I immediately phoned Mother Paraskeva. And she said: "Yes, yes, come, I am waiting for you in Borjomi." We rushed over there and interviewed her.

"And how did I deserve this favor?"

Did you not know Elder Gabriel personally? And he is so close to you.

- No, no, I was not familiar with him. I was little then. But I consider him my spiritual father and my friend. There is not a single important event in my life that would have passed without the blessing of my father. I always feel his presence. He is always there, as he bequeathed: "I am leaving, but always invisibly will be with you."

When we were translating the interview of Mother Paraskeva, I had difficulties. I confess that although I am Georgian, I have some problems with the Georgian language. I have Russian education, and I grew up in a Russian environment. I don’t understand some old Georgian church moments if my Georgian-speaking friends don’t help me. Mother Parasvkeva in the film says: "I go into his cell and see him raised fifty centimeters from the ground." She wondered if the elder knew that she had seen him in this state. When she came to him, the elder said: “The Lord said that he would raise me 50 centimeters. And what have I done to deserve such mercy? " And this last sentence is an approximate translation, because in Georgian the phrase sounded a little different. These subtleties were incomprehensible to me. I spent a week translating. I thought, how correctly: "What have I received?" or "I am not worthy." I've puzzled over several options. And I again dreamed of an old man who, hitting the floor with his staff, said: “For twelve years you went to a Russian school so that I would wait for your transfer for a week ?!” When I woke up, I had in my head correct phrase: "And how did I deserve such mercy."

"Your boy is absolutely healthy"

I know a person with Georgian roots, to whom the father also dreamed and said something. Indeed, he is alive.

- About this - my last article, which is called: "I am waiting for you in Samtavro." It tells the story of a woman, Elena, whose son has lost consciousness. An ambulance team arrived. They called my mother, who, looking at what was happening, also lost consciousness. The woman was completely unchurched, only Orthodox roots. “When they brought me to my senses,” she says, “I saw a priest helping the nurses. He raised his head and said to her: "I am waiting for you in Samtavro." Elena did not know where it was and what it was all about. Then she got acquainted with the test results and found out that the boy malignant tumor with metastases in the head. Suddenly, in the office of the head physician, Elena saw a photograph - it showed a priest whom she saw helping an ambulance team. She asked: "Is this father in charge of you, does he work here?" In response I heard: “What are you, Mrs. Elena. This is the old man. He's a saint. His grave is in Mtskheta. " Elena understood everything, rushed headlong to the elder's grave, and at the same time prayed to quickly sell the house, car, everything that was in order to take the child to Germany for treatment.

A certain time passes. The boy lost consciousness again, he was taken to the hospital, and his mother insisted on doing repeated tests - she needed to find out how quickly the disease was progressing. The analyzes were done. The doctors said, “There is some mistake here. Let's do it again. " The analyzes were done three times. The woman went crazy, begged to say what was happening, not to hide anything. Finally the doctors called her and said, “We don't know what's going on. Your child just has a migraine. There are no metastases or tumors. "

The woman fainted again. In a swoon, she saw a smiling father Gabriel, who said: "I was waiting for you in Samtavro."

The elder literally walks the earth

- People, even those who were not at all churched, faced incredible things. When they opened the grave with the relics in the Trinity Cathedral, I stood at the foot of the elder for a whole month. Once passed heavy rain... When we looked at the old man's shoes, we saw that they were covered in mud!

And the monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra noticed that at Saint Sergius lying in a cancer, shoes are worn out. Has the experience of such miracles greatly influenced your perception of the world?

- I was strengthened in faith. I have been serving as a sexton since I was five, and I am a church man, of course. But my faith greatly increased after meeting with Fr. Gabriel. No more questions arise - everything is clear to me, I try to humble myself where necessary.

Did you satisfy the filming result? Or would you like to fix something else, finish it?

- I am self-critical of myself. We worked on the film for a year and a half. Although there is also an interview that we filmed seven years ago. I know this film by heart in minutes and seconds. When we finished the voice acting, and I watched this film, I did not understand how I made such a film. I still think that this film was made by Elder Gabriel himself. I like the movie.

In the future, we plan to make a film only about the healings that were realized thanks to the help of Elder Gabriel. So this is not the last project. I am very grateful to my teacher of the Russian language Irina Shalvovna Skhirtladze, professors of the Institute of Slavic Studies Maya Dmitrievna Tukhareli, Ilona Arturovna Dzneladze, Maria Anatolyevna Filina. They have always disinterestedly helped, edited, gave valuable advice. With special gratitude I remember the wonderful woman Tamara Manelashvili, who suggested how to start the film. The wonderful text that begins the film belongs to the Georgian journalist Tamara Manelashvili.

"Because ... It's Love"

Did you expect so many people to come to the presentation of the film? Many were crying.

- Until the last minute, I expected that a maximum of fifty people would come. And I thought how embarrassing it would be and how insulting for my father. Before the presentation, I got stuck in traffic. The event began at half past seven, and I arrived at twenty minutes past seven, that is, ten minutes before the start. I say to the director of the VDNKh exhibition space, Yulia Emelyanova: "Listen, there are probably few people there?" She says: "Yes, not enough." And I go out and see so many people! Lord, wow! Father, thank you very much! And I was sincerely glad, because this is Love ...

"Politicians and unkind people cannot separate us"

- This proves that we are one family: Russia and Georgia. What the politicians will do there is not our concern. We are Orthodox, and we have no disunity, no schisms. We are brothers and sisters. This is exactly what the elder wanted, who said: “My cross is Georgia and Orthodox Russia". He loved Tsar Nicholas very much, even when he was not canonized. When the communists were in power, he was not afraid, he walked with a portrait of Tsar Nicholas. And the sisters of the monastery said: "Be careful, we will have problems." And Fr. Gabriel answered: “Nicholas is a saint. The whole family is a saint. The Bolsheviks killed them. "

You cannot imagine, by the way, how they love Tsar Nicholas in Georgia. Thanks to the elder and his life.

"There should be no question marks between us!"

- The elder had a Bible in Russian, his sister Juliet told. Thin, pretty little. And so he read: the Georgian Bible and the Russian. He probably felt that we were not just neighbors. There is Greece, there is Bulgaria. But we are each other's support, we must support each other. Georgia is the lot of the Mother of God. And there are so many saints in Russia. And how many poets and writers there are in Russia who love Georgia ... Now in Russian literature you cannot find a single poet, writer who does not praise Georgia in his works. There is not a single poet and writer in Georgian literature who does not write that the Russians are our brothers, that we are one family.

Father Gabriel will handle everything. Spiritually, we have a great relationship. Let America and Europe be jealous.

It's not true that they don't know Russian in Georgia

Many secular people today have a different perception of the world. Relationships are complex.

- It's in politics. But in the spirit - no! There is a myth that no one in Georgia speaks Russian. But this is not true, of course. Even our film was made by Georgians. There is not a single Russian there, except for Elena Chistyakova. The voice acting was done by Georgians. Just Georgian surnames - and we made a Russian-language film. In fact, the statement that we know all languages ​​except Russian is completely untrue. We have a well-known institute of Slavic studies in the scientific world, which is associated with Moscow State University and others. Russian universities... Students, when they come to conferences, call each other brothers and sisters. No divisions take place. The construction of walls is done by those who want it, and we have love. In this case, it all comes down to politics. But the politicians were not able to create a single crack in our relations.

Another ordinary Miracle

We have already heard about many miracles: icons were streaming myrrh in Tbilisi and Kiev, the image of a saint appeared in the place where the relics used to be. What else has happened lately?

- For example, the miracle that happened to Elena Chistyakova from Perm. She was diagnosed with melanoma. The spot was large and black. She anointed the sore spot with oil from Father Gabriel. Then she went to the examination. He comes, undresses and says: "Here I have melanoma." The doctor looks in disbelief and says: "Well, and where?" Elena looks - and there is already nothing on her leg. The doctor told her to pack her things and leave in an amicable way. She began to apologize and left the office with tears in her eyes in complete shock. Having experienced such a miracle, Elena initiated the construction of a church in Perm in the name of the Monk Gabriel and Blessed Xenia of Petersburg.

I took a blessing from Russian sextons

Do you go to any churches here? What is the difference between the Georgian and Russian parishes?

- I go to the Moscow Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" on Ordynka. There is almost no difference, except in the vestments. There was, as they say now, a joke: in Georgia, sextons dress in red, but here they dress - almost like those of priests. When I first came to Russia, it turned out that I took blessings from almost all the sextons. And he was also surprised: so young, and already priests! They say to me: "Yes, this is a sexton, Kostya." I answer: “How are you sexton? They have bishop's robes! "

"You remember Elder Gabriel ..."

At the presentation, you said that during the filming there were many funny and wonderful moments. Can you tell about some of them?

- We made the same film for Georgians. And they said to me: "Let's write you down in Georgian as well." I agreed. After finishing my stand-up in Russian, I started doing the next one in Georgian and couldn't, because I was forgetting the words. At night I have a dream: Elder Gabriel comes and says: “What are you? Do you only want to study Russian? Now you will learn Georgian. " I say in fright: “Yes, yes, yes. I'll do everything. Thank you, father. " And now I am studying this text quite diligently so that the Georgian film will turn out well.

That is why I say that the elder himself is the main producer, director, curator and, in general, everything in the world. When the editor Nino Zhvania was being recorded, she had to read a huge text. Really huge - one and a half sheets. How Elder Gabriel was arrested, and Holy Mother of God saved him. She memorized this long piece of text, stood in front of the camera and began to speak. The text ended with the words: "With an amazing gleam in his eyes, the elder said:" It was the Most Holy Theotokos. " Nino Zhvania recounted this text almost to the end. It was 34 degrees Celsius outside. We all got tanned. And so she says the last sentence: "Elder Gabriel with an extraordinary gleam in his eyes said: it was ..." - and forgets about the Most Holy Theotokos. She was "jammed". And so it was, oddly enough, several times. Nino Zhvania lamented: “Who is who? Most Holy Theotokos, have mercy on us. I forgot". And we re-recorded four takes like this.

Then I dream of the old man again. He, of course, was present on the set. And he says to me, laughing: "Have you remembered Elder Gabriel, but you cannot remember the Most Holy Theotokos?" So, some of the last words elder: "I died, but I am alive."

Interviewed by Anna Rymarenko

Archimandrite Gabriel - great old man our time. He humbly hid the many gifts of the Holy Spirit and with love led people to God. Father Gabriel often walked in torn clothes, barefoot, with a copper diadem on his head - he played the fool, hiding his holiness and deliberately humiliating himself.
The elder said: “When I begin to consider myself better than others, then I put my diadem on my head and go out into the street barefoot. People look at me and laugh, but I see how insignificant I am. "
He also said: "Any test will pass by the humble and will not touch."
He also said: "Mercy is gold, humility is a diamond."
He instructed: "Humility is an inextinguishable candle, pleasing to God!"
One monk asked the elder what fast was. “I’ll explain now,” he replied and told the monk about all the sins he had committed. Out of shame, the monk did not know what to do. Falling to his knees, he cried. And the elder said with a smile: "Now go and eat your lunch." “No, father, thank you, I don’t want to,” replied the monk. "This is what fasting is, when you remember your sins, repent and no longer think about food."
Father Gabriel also admonished: "You need to repent more with your heart than with tears."
Father Gabriel was asked how to pray for enemies. The elder replied: “First, start praying for those you love most, for example, for your children. Then pray for the rest of your family. Then about all your neighbors and relatives, so that you don't have enemies. Bless the city where you live, but Tbil si is not alone - bless all the inhabitants of Georgia. And Georgia is not alone, it is surrounded by other countries - ask God so that people do not quarrel. Now that you have prayed for everyone and there is only one enemy left, do not leave him. Ask God to fill his heart with kindness and his mind with wisdom. This is how you can pray for your enemy. "
Father Gabriel admonished: "If you do not fulfill the commandments of God, do not bother God with many prayers, He will not hear, and your prayer will be your sin."
Once the elder asked the spiritual children: "Who will explain to me what it means: imputed prayer as a sin?" - “Probably he prayed incorrectly,” was the answer. “No, he prayed correctly,” said the elder. "Probably, he prayed not heartily." - "No, I prayed heartily." - "Probably, inattentively, absentmindedly praying." “No, I’ll explain to you now,” said the elder. At this time, one parishioner came to him for a blessing. The elder asked her to do something, and she replied that she could not now, and then she would look. “Now she will go and pray for five hours. But how will God hear her prayer - she didn’t help the one asking? If you do not fulfill the commandments of God, do not bother God with many prayers, He will not hear, and your prayer will be a sin for you. Good deeds open the doors of paradise. Humility will lead there, and love will show God. If prayer is not followed by good deeds, prayer is dead. "
The elder said: “God does not accept empty words, God loves deeds. Good deeds are love. " Father Gabriel warned: "Only by works can one recognize a real Christian."
He also said: "Live in such a way that not only God loves you, but people also love - there is nothing more than that."
Sometimes Fr. Gabriel walked around with a sign on his chest, on which was written: "A man without love is like a jug without a bottom." At the same time, he carried with him a leaky jug through which he looked at people like through binoculars.
The ascetic admonished: “Whoever learns to love will be happy. Just don't think that love is an innate talent. Love can be learned, and we must do it. " The elder explained: “There is no person on earth who could fully explain what love is. On earth you will never understand it. "
He also said: “If someone is sick and in need of medicine, but it must be brought from afar, perhaps at night, and through the forest, where wolves roam, - and you, without hesitation, set off on a journey to save your neighbor - this and there is love. " He also said: “How will a person's soul be calm when a neighbor is in danger? If you have a patient at home and there is no one to look after him, it is better not to go to church, to stay at home. "
Father Gabriel taught: “We must love everyone. But if you can't, at least wish everyone well. "
He warned: "If you hate at least one person, you hate Christ Himself in his image and is far from the Kingdom of Heaven."
The elder instructed: “Not knowing the spiritual state of your neighbor, do not give advice. Your advice can ruin him. "
He shared: “I used to think: why does the Lord send sorrows to the earth? And now I understood: a stone is broken with a hammer ... Only grief and sorrow can lead many people to God. "
The elder warned: “Those who are carried away by worldly temptations, you will learn this: they will walk around naked. Christians will be decently dressed. According to the canons of the Holy Church, a woman should not wear men's clothing. A person's clothing shows his spiritual state. "
Fr. Gabriel categorically forbade anyone to condemn anyone and said: “If you see a murderer or a harlot or a drunkard lying on the ground, do not condemn anyone, because God has let go of his reason, and your reason is in his hands. If yours also lets go, you will find yourself in a worse situation: you can fall into the sin in which you condemn another, and perish ”.
He also said: “The Lord had mercy on the harlot, he saved the robber. Mary of Egypt was a harlot, but with the help of God she began to struggle in the wilderness, fasted, prayed and conquered the passions, was cleansed and became worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord will diminish and exalt ”.
The elder remarked: “Others' sins are none of your business. You sit and cry over your sins. " He also said: "Only with a heart full of love can one expose the sins of another person."
He also instructed: “Do not judge, God Himself is the judge. The one who condemns is like an empty ear of wheat, whose head is always raised and who therefore always looks down at others. "
Father Gabriel, in the world Goderdzi Vasilyevich Urgebadze, was born on August 26, 1929 in Tbilisi. His father died early. His mother later became nun Anna, died on April 26, 2000 and was buried in the Samtavro monastery, in the courtyard of the monastery.
Goderdzi believed as a child. Once the neighbors were cursing, and one of them said: "You crucified me like Christ." The boy wondered what it means to “crucify” and who is Christ. The adults sent the child to church, where the watchman advised him to read the Gospel. He saved up money, bought the Gospel, and a few years later knew the text practically by heart.
Zhenya Kobelashvili recalled Goderdzi's childhood in kindergarten: “He constantly sat in the corner and built churches out of matches. It was a favorite pastime for him. I don’t remember exactly what days he didn’t eat milk porridge. There was hunger, and everyone was surprised that he refused to eat. In general, he ate little, often did not even touch food. "
Already in childhood, the boy fell in love with fasting and prayer in solitude. As he grew older, he set up a cell for himself in the courtyard of the house, which could accommodate only one person. There Goderdzi asceticised and tried to live like an ascetic. When his loving mother brought a pillow to his cell, the son did not take it and said: “Mom, why do I need a pillow? Our Lord Jesus Christ was so poor that he did not even have a place to lay his head. "
Later, having already become an old man, Fr. Gabriel said: “Faith is a talent, God-given". The Lord gave him this talent in full measure. As a youth, Goderdzi already knew the gospel well. At the age of twelve, he first came to the Samtavri monastery. The nuns fed the boy, but did not leave the night, and he prayed all night at the gate that the Most Holy Theotokos would allow him to live in the monastery. His prayer was fulfilled many years later - in the last years of his life the elder asceticised in this monastery. He often said that he lived in the Samtavrian monastery with the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The elder told about one incident from his childhood: “When I was little, I wanted to visit the grave of the Monk Anthony of Martkop. On the way, I got very hungry. Rolling to the ground with fatigue, I fell asleep right on the ground, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a man. He gave me bread and water and disappeared. When I got to the monastery and saw the icon of Anthony Martkopsky, I realized that the person who saved me from hunger was himself Venerable Anthony».
When the young man served in the army in the city of Batumi, he really wanted to visit the temple. Somehow he managed to get into the church, where he prayed earnestly so that he could attend services. The next day, the answer to his prayer came - the young man was appointed a peddler, and after the end of the assignment he had the opportunity to enter the temple of God. There the priest gave him to read church books and secretly communed at the altar. Even in the army, Goderdzi kept a strict fast, fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays, pretending that he had a stomach ache from meat.
Nun Pelagia (Ksovreli) recalled: “I knew the priest from childhood. He was a friend of my brother, they served together in the army in Batumi. Goderdzi told how the Lord commanded him: "Go and dismantle the ruins of the church of St. George, because your father destroyed churches." Once Goderdzi, clearing the ruins of the temple, raised a large boulder. At this time, my uncle, an athlete, passed by. The young man asked him for help. Uncle, no matter how hard he tried, could not lift a single stone. He recalled: "I barely managed to move one block, and this boy scattered them like pebbles." For my uncle, as for many other people, Fr. Gabriel remained a mystery. "
After the army, the young man decided to devote himself to God. Relatives did not understand him and offered to marry him, tried to introduce him to a beautiful girl. But the chosen one of God did not even look at her.
In those days, believers and preaching their faith were often sent to psychiatric hospitals. Goderdzi did not escape this fate either. An extract from his medical history read: “Diagnosis: psychopathic personality with a tendency to develop schizophrenic conditions. He talks to himself, whispers something quietly. Believes in God, in angels. He constantly repeats the words: "Everything is from God." Does not communicate with others. When addressing him, he speaks of God, angels, icons ... "
On January 25, 1955, at the age of twenty-six, Goderdzi wrote a petition to the hierarchy: “Since childhood, I have a firm intention to be a minister of our Holy Mother Church, therefore I ask you to appoint me as a freelance (since I am a disabled person of the second group) deacon of your cathedral. I would also like to inform you that under the supervision of His Holiness I served as an altar manager and caretaker of the temple for two years, and helped during the divine services. " A few days later, Goderdzi was ordained deacon.
Soon he turned to Bishop Gabriel of Kutaisi-Gaenat with a new petition: "Since childhood I have a craving for monasticism, therefore I humbly ask you to tonsure me into the minor schema and name me after St. Gabriel of Athos."
The young man chose the name of the Monk Gabriel, an ascetic from Georgia, who zealously asceticised on Athos, in the Iberian monastery. For the height of his life, the monk was honored to walk on the water and bring the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God, which had sailed by sea, to the Athonite shore. Vladyka answered the petition as follows: "Bless the schema, confess the deacon and give him, at his request, the name of the Monk Gabriel of Athonite."
Deacon Goderdzi Urgebadze was tonsured into monasticism with the name Gabriel on February 27, 1955 in the Motsamet Monastery by Bishop of Kutaisi-Gaenat with the participation of Archimandrite George (Dadiani), who was killed nine years later in the Shio-Mgvim Monastery and was buried in the Samtavri Monastery.
The elder was very fond of monasticism. He instructed the monastics: “A monk cannot be carefree. He is a warrior. " He also instructed: “A monk must perform physical work otherwise it will become discouraged and not be saved. "
The elder taught: “Monastics should live in simplicity. Simplicity is the grace of God. " I noticed: "A good monk must have a sensitive heart, like a woman's." I also noticed: "A good monk is fed up with one prosphora."
He warned: “Praise is harmful to a monk. He who praises monks is the enemy of monasticism. "
Father Gabriel explained: “For God it does not matter who you are: a monk or a layman. The main thing is striving for God. It is by this striving that man is saved. The monastic will be asked for the monastic, and the layman will be asked for the mundane. "
He also said: "If a layman overcomes his passions for Christ's sake, he will be equated with monks."
In the courtyard of his home on Tetritskaroi Street in Tbilisi, Father Gabriel built a multi-domed church. He erected it with his own hands and finished it around 1962. The ascetic found icons for this church in the city dumps, where in those years numerous relics were taken and thrown away along with the garbage. He also built a workshop, where he restored icons and made them frames and frames, even placing photographs from magazines in these frames. The walls of his church were all covered with icons, large and small. And this was in those days when the atheist authorities destroyed churches and destroyed clergy.
The representatives of the authorities who came demanded that Fr. Gabriel destroy the built temple, to which he firmly answered: “I will not destroy the temple. Destroy it yourself if you like. " Struck by his determination, the atheists retreated and left empty-handed.
The elder was not afraid of anyone but the Lord. He often repeated: "You need to have only one fear - the fear of committing a sin."
Gia Kobachishvili said: “We lived next door to Fr. Gabriel. He often talked with the boys, gave crosses, and took them around the church of the holy Great Martyr Barbara. "
Gia also recalled: “The elder gave our family an icon of Jesus Christ in an icon case. It was miraculous icon: on the eve of any misfortune, the icon case opened by itself - thus the Lord warned us of misfortune. Kneeling, we often pray in front of this icon, thanks to the Lord and Father Gabriel, who presented this icon to our family. "
The abbess of the monastery in honor of the Khakhul Icon of the Mother of God (New Shuamta), the schema of John, said: “The elder knew the Holy Scriptures very well (he knew the Gospel well from the age of twelve) and often quoted it. When he spoke the words of Scripture, you understood that before you stands a man who lives in Truth, who carries God in himself. Father Gabriel showed that in our time it is possible to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. "
Ketevan (Kopaliani), abbess of the Samtavri monastery, recalled: “I first saw Fr. Gabriel in Tbilisi on Rustaveli Avenue. He raised his hands in a loud voice called out: “Georgians, come to your senses, wake up! Georgia is dying! The grave of Saint Shushanika is in desolation! The Metekhi temple was turned into a theater! " The foolish monk wept loudly and grieved for his people. Passers-by stopped with interest. Some listened attentively, some smiled skeptically. After that, I first visited the Metekhi temple and the grave of Saint Shushanika. Indeed, the grave was abandoned. Thank God, now divine services have been restored in the churches of Georgia, and the graves of the holy saints are put in order. "
The elder instructed: "When you pronounce the name of the Lord, get up and cross yourself." He said: “Strive relentlessly to God. Seeing your striving, God will give everything you need. " He also said: “The Lord does not leave a person, a person leaves God. Hell is separation from the Lord. "
Father Gabriel taught: “If you have been slandered, if you have responded to good with evil, do not keep evil in your heart. Forgive and rejoice, because thanks to this you have come a few steps closer to God. "
Father Gabriel treated the holy places with great reverence. He loved cleaning candlesticks, tidying up the altar. About the service in the church, the elder said: "If you saw what grace descends at the liturgy, you would be ready to collect dust from the floor of the church and wash your face with it!"
Once at the graves of Saints Nana and Mirian, Father Gabriel found a large shrine - a particle of the life-giving pillar. The elder recalled: "When I first touched, some force threw back." The particle was carefully transferred to the altar of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord of the Samtavri Monastery, where it is kept now.
When it was decided to change the iconostasis in the temple of the Samtavriya monastery, the elder resisted. The sisters did not understand why, but they understood a little later: soon the icons began to stream myrrh. The elder noticed this myrrh streaming first, and it lasted for about a month.
Archimandrite Mikhail (Gabrichidze), abbot of the Shio-Mgvim monastery, said: “While living in the world, I once went to the Zion Cathedral. The bishop served a prayer service to the holy queen Tamara. At this time, Fr. Gabriel entered the temple. With his arrival, I clearly felt grace. He stood next to the bishop. Glancing around those present in the temple and not seeing the proper veneration of the holy queen Tamara, he went to the pulpit and addressed the believers: “Make an earthly bow! How do you stand before such a great saint during a prayer service ?! " The people knelt down, Fr. Gabriel also fell to his knees crying. “I walked barefoot in front of the army, fasted, prayed day and night to defeat the enemies. And you don't even want to kneel before her! " he exclaimed bitterly. All those present were ashamed. "
Archimandrite Michael also recalled: “Once, after the liturgy on Holy Thursday, we came from Svetitskhoveli to the Samtavria monastery for a meal. Weeping was heard from Fr. Gabriel's cell. I asked what happened. One of the sisters replied: "Fr. Gabriel cries throughout Holy Week, prays for us every day and asks the Lord to have mercy on us." I thought deeply: will I ever have such strong faith and such prayerful boldness. "
Hegumen Lazar (Gagnidze) testified: “Father Gabriel lived in accordance with the monastery charter and worked in his free time from vigils and prayers. Even when he received someone or spoke to someone, he worked: he restored, repaired icons, made frames for them, cleaned church utensils. For him there was no significant and insignificant business, everything was important, and he did everything for the glory of God. "
He also shared: “It so happened that on Bright Week, just a few weeks after my churching, the confessor led me into the altar and put the surplice on me. This was a great event for me, and, overflowing with gratitude, on the same day after the Liturgy I stayed and washed the floor in the altar and on the pulpit. Fr. Gabriel came in several times and looked at how zealous I was, but I could not read anything on his face: no reproach, no approval, and he himself did not say anything ... Several months passed. Before the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Father Gabriel called me to his place and warmly said: “You have arranged general cleaning in Easter week is wrong. We do the cleaning before the holiday. Soon the Transfiguration of the Lord. I think we can handle it. " For two or three days, without raising our heads, we cleaned up the church and the courtyard of the monastery. We cleaned everything from the walls to the church utensils. Father Gabriel, rolling up his sleeves, diligently polished copper and bronze candlesticks and icon lamps. "
The Lord gave the elder many gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of healing. Once nun Nino was bitten by a snake. The elder anointed the site of the bite with oil, sprinkled it with holy water, and, according to his holy prayers, Nino's mother was healed. In the hospital, where the elder blessed to take the victim in order to humbly hide her gifts, there were no medicines and serum. But to the surprise of the doctors, who were expecting a tragic outcome, the patient recovered without any medication.
Once a wife who had been married for a long time, but had no children, came to the elder. The doctors' diagnosis was disappointing. The elder put them on their knees and blessed them, and then told them to order a prayer service to John the Baptist three times, and they will have a child. When the couple were leaving, the elder repeated once again that in a year they would have a child. “If there’s a boy, I’ll call him Gabriel,” the woman said. "Queen Tamara was a woman, and in what way was she worse than others?" - answered the elder. A year later, they had a girl. The newborn was brought to the elder for blessing.
Archimandrite Savva recalled: “It was difficult for us to guess what the elder was thinking about, but he himself clearly saw the hearts and souls of other people and always helped them. Once young people came to confess to him, but they were somehow embarrassed. The elder calmly talked to them and himself said what was in their souls, so they had nothing to add. Then, after giving instructions and consoling, he let him go home. "
He also testified: “Father Gabriel, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, could see the past with great accuracy and accurately determine the future. I remember the elder sent me to Svetitskhoveli for medicine. I was in a hurry, I wanted to return as soon as possible with the medicine. And there, in the monastery, there was then one novice who did everything deliberately slowly. I could not resist, and we had a fight. When I returned, the elder greeted me sullenly and demanded that we go together to Svetitskhoveli. There he called this novice and looked at me. I guessed at once: the elder knew about our quarrel. We asked each other for forgiveness, and the elder, as if nothing had happened, began to talk about something else. "
Once Elder Gabriel went to Tbilisi for shopping. He had only one hundred rubles. At the bus stop, two beekeepers complained that they could not get one hundred rubles to cure the bees. Father Gabriel, without a moment's hesitation, gave them his money, and he came back. The next day, two famous actors came to him and donated a thousand rubles. The elder said: "For what is given for a good deed, God gives a hundred times more."
Theodora (Makhviladze), abbess of the Bodbe nunnery recalled: “When the elder came to the monastery, he chose a small wooden chicken coop for his dwelling, although it was a late cold autumn. “Monk Gabriel will live here, and no one will dare to enter here,” he announced to everyone. Mariam and I still dared to clean his dwelling, because it was in the droppings. During the cleaning, an elder unexpectedly came in, we thought that our behavior made him angry, but it turned out on the contrary, he blessed us. "
She also recalled: “I never doubted that Fr. Gabriel had a special perception of the world. There are many examples to prove this. Once, on the day of the Monk Shio Mgvimsky, many people came to the monastery. After the liturgy, during the meal, he unexpectedly turned to one person and asked if he had performed some grave sin... He, amazed, humbly admitted what he had done. Everyone felt the awkwardness of the situation, but Father Gabriel, with surprising tact, smoothed out this awkwardness. When I thought about what had happened, I was amazed both at how the elder saw sin in this person, and at how the person himself was able to publicly admit his sin. Now this man is a priest. "
She also said: “Once a young woman came to Fr. Gabriel. Seeing her, he began to sob. It turned out that the elder foresaw in spirit that this woman had two hardest trials. "
Mother Theodora also told about the elder: “I often saw him very serious, mainly in Tbilisi, in the church he built, where he locked himself up during fasting and did not let anyone in. (Although there he was not given rest, everyone walked and walked towards him, and he could not refuse anyone and accepted everyone in his cell.) Fr. Gabriel was always thoughtful and concentrated here. He never joked or played the fool, discussed serious spiritual issues with us. Here he looked different: white transparent skin, calm eyes. “I realized my weakness,” he often repeated. These words sounded very sincere - he spoke it from a pure heart. Next to him, I lost my sense of time and could not understand whether our conversation lasted for hours or minutes ”.
She also recalled: “As time went on, I understood more and more that the words and actions of the elder, no matter how strange they seemed, reflected his deep faith and great love for his neighbor. He devoted his whole life to fulfilling two commandments: love for God and love for neighbor. Each "humiliated and insulted" who came to him, the elder did not leave without consolation, his anger never caused despair, but awakened from mental coldness and indifference. At night we often heard his voice, sometimes he shouted or quarreled with someone, or conducted a dialogue with someone, but we knew for sure that he was alone in his cell. It was his communication with invisible forces that sometimes frightened me. "
Nun Thekla (Oniani) shared: “Once during the night prayer I was overcome with terrible thoughts:“ Do you want to live your whole life like this: get up at midnight and pray until morning, and then work tirelessly all day? You’re young, and you’re ruining yourself, completely mad? ”
Returning to my cell after prayer, I saw Fr. Gabriel. Sobbing, he repeated: "So young, so beautiful ... Get up at midnight, pray ... Are you going to stay here?" The elder's words shocked me - he repeated all my thoughts in detail. I was ashamed: after all, the Lord showed me such mercy - I touch the feet of Saint Nina, and such thoughts come to my mind! It was only a few years later that I truly appreciated the help and support of Fr. Gabriel. Since then, such thoughts have no longer bothered me. "
Nun Paraskeva (Rostiashvili) said: “Once a married couple came to Fr. Gabriel's cell, his wife was pregnant. The elder told them that the child understands everything and even in the womb of the mother it is necessary to teach him the word of God. The husband was surprised: “I can't hear people talking behind the wall. And what can a child hear in the womb? " - "Don't believe me?" - asked the old man and turned to the woman: - "Kid, can you hear me?" The fetus began to move with such force, then it became difficult for the woman to stand and she sat down. "
She also said: “Before Great Lent, the priest, as a rule, kneeled down to pray for the forgiveness of sins on the pulpit of the Transfiguration Church. If he angrily denounced someone, and he did not come for forgiveness until evening, then he himself went to him and asked for forgiveness. "
She also recalled: “Once I was sitting in the elder's cell. Suddenly he asked to leave him alone immediately. I was very surprised and hurried to the exit, and looking back, I saw that his face was shining like the sun. "
Paraskev's mother also recalled: "When he was insulted, mocked, scolded, I asked with surprise:" Do you really love them? " And he answered with sadness: "I now regret them even more and love them even more."
She also spoke about the lessons of Fr. Gabriel: “Once I stood at the elder's cell in the courtyard of the monastery. Pilgrims came up to me and asked for water. I was too lazy to go for water, and I sent them to the refectory. When I entered the elder's cell, he sternly asked: “How did it happen that you did not do a good deed? Go quickly, give people water so that no one gets ahead of you. And remember that even one glass of water given to your neighbor will not be lost before God. "
Here is another lesson from Fr. Gabriel: “Once they brought apples to the elder. He instructed to cook jam from these apples, only with seeds. I decided that it would turn sour, and cooked it without pits - and all the jam turned sour. On this occasion, the elder told the following: “Once the abba gave his novice cabbage seedlings and blessed him to plant them with their roots up. The novice thought that his father had grown old and did not understand what he was saying. He planted the roots in the ground - and all the seedlings died. “This is the fruit of disobedience,” said the abba. The novice asked for forgiveness and planted the seedlings as the mentor blessed, and the seedlings took root. "This is the fruit of obedience," said the abba this time. "
Paraskev's mother also said: “Father Gabriel sometimes taught people strangely. He left the cell, sat on a chair, called someone over to him and ordered them to go to the cell and bring a saucepan. The man could not find her in any way. The elder began to shout at him - then the weak points of that person were immediately revealed. Over time, a person who, thanks to the elder, recognized his weaknesses and "trained" by him in humility, could easily defend himself against the wiles of the demon. "
She also recalled: “The elder liked to sit near his cell. Once a priest passed by. Father Gabriel quietly asked me: "Do you want me to shake this priest?" I got scared and froze in anticipation. The elder scolded him rudely. The priest, calmly listening, said that he was even worse and deserved even more anger. Then the elder embraced him with love and called him his brother. "
She also recalled: “Father Gabriel often took a jug out of his cell, put it down and covered it with a rag on top, as if he was hiding it. In fact, the jug was very visible. He pretended to drink so that everyone would think he was a drunkard. "
Once a woman came to the elder and said that he saved her life, and she wants to thank him. She said: “I live in an old house next to the cemetery. Once robbers broke into my house. Out of fear, I began to pray intensely, to ask Fr. Gabriel for help. And suddenly she saw a miracle - an old man appeared from somewhere and, threatening the robbers with a big stick, drove them out of the house. As soon as the robbers fled, the elder disappeared - just as suddenly as he had appeared. "
Once a young man came to the elder. The elder looked at him sternly and said: "Go and take communion, the grace of communion will save you."
The young man received the Holy Communion on the same day. Then he said: “Immediately after communion, a friend came to me and invited me to go visit with him. But I refused because I received the Holy Communion. A friend went alone. He had an accident and died. "
Once Father Gabriel said to a young man he knew: "Be careful: misfortune may happen to you." A few days later, someone shot him, but the bullet only seared his hair without causing any harm.
Otar Nikolaishvili recalled: “Once in Tbilisi, Father Gabriel went out into the street. Sitting on a chair in the middle of the street, he began to talk to passers-by. Usually on this street the movement of cars is continuous, but, oddly enough, while the old man was sitting there, not a single car passed, and as soon as he got up, the movement of cars resumed. "
He also recalled: “Once I was sitting in an elder's cell. Father Gabriel was dozing, and I, looking at him, thought: “This man knows everything about everyone ... Who is he? Isn't it a demon who donned the monastic robe? " Suddenly the elder said: "Accepted." Even during sleep, he understood what I was thinking. Soon Fr. Gabriel woke up and, looking at me, wept bitterly. I felt ashamed. Then he pointed to the crumbs lying on the table and said: "Without the will of God, the demon cannot even move these crumbs - let alone put on a monastic robe."
Otar also shared: “Elder Gabriel was the rarest example of a true confessor. It was necessary to live with him side by side for several months in order to learn to understand the depth of his inner the spiritual world without being tempted by strange deeds. Living next to the elder, I got to know him more and more every day, and my idea of ​​him changed. At first I felt sorry for him, like a poor maddened monk, then I rejoiced, meeting in him sympathy and understanding. Then I was surprised that this strange monk knew almost by heart the Old and New Testaments... Knowing that a lot of knowledge can lose my mind, I began to treat him with even more pity. After a while, I noticed that he gives answers to questions that I did not ask out loud, but which really worried me. He could read minds. This puzzled me very much and to some extent frightened me - what kind of power was in front of me? Time passed, and I became convinced that it was a force before which everyone bows, a force that can tame something other than a sinful person - the most ferocious lion: the power of prayer and love. "
He told the following story: “All the words spoken by the elder were law for me. But one of his blessings still puzzled me. He said: "Immediately in your car we are going to the monastery of Anthony Martkopsky." I was embarrassed and began to explain that it was impossible: the car was out of order, but immediately stopped short, realizing that it was impossible to disobey. As the elder said, so it will be.
What can you do - let's go. Steep climbs began; feel the car stop. Suddenly Father Gabriel said: "Son, just don't look back, the Monk Anthony of Martkop himself is coming with us!" And suddenly the car is on full speed flew forward. I even had to press the brake, although we were driving uphill. She just flew. When we drove into the monastery gates, the car immediately stalled. "
Otar told what happened next: “Soon in the courtyard of the monastery there were heard the shouts of men who came from the nearest village. They brawled and threatened, demanding a meeting with the monks. I wanted to intervene, but the elder glared at me. He went out himself with outstretched hands and said loudly: “If you are thirsty for blood, shoot me! My blood, the blood of Monk Gabriel, may it be enough for you, and do not touch others. God will forgive you for my murder, but if you kill them, He will not forgive this. " As it turned out, the brawlers knew all the brothers of the monastery and when they saw an old, unknown monk, they were embarrassed, not knowing what to do. Fasting foamy they calmed down, some even asked for forgiveness. The elder foresaw that troubles awaited the Martkop monastery, and therefore, unexpectedly for everyone, decided to go there. The great saint himself, the Monk Anthony of Martkop, blessed the elder to save the monastery from harm. "
Vladyka Joseph said: “In the Shio-Mgvim monastery, before the all-night vigil, they could not open the doors of the church. The elder approached, made the sign of the cross - the doors opened from a light touch. "
Once a girl came to the elder and said that they constantly have quarrels and scandals in their house, and recently their brother ran away from home. The elder immediately got ready and went to that house. When they arrived, my brother was already at home. “Some kind of force made me come back,” he said. “Fr. Gabriel approached the icons and began to pray. I saw how the icon of the Mother of God shone and the rays illuminated the elder, - the girl said. - He finished his prayer and left. Since then, calmness and peace have reigned in our house. "
Once, several people who left the temple threw stones at a homeless dog. Fr. Gabriel saw this and said with pain: "It would be better if you did not attend the liturgy at all."
It happened that during the tonsure of those who were awaiting great trials, Fr. Gabriel wept in front of the icons. Once a nun was tonsured. The elder cried bitterly and said: "Daughter, daughter, how sorry I am for you: you cannot bear this cross." Time passed and she left the monastery.
Nun Pelagia (Ksovreli) recalled: “Once the episcopal consecration was performed in the monastery. During the liturgy, the elder constantly talked and interfered with everyone. At first this was tolerated, but when he approached the pulpit, he stood next to the priest and said: "You do not deserve this place, I must be here." Patience ran out, and Vladyka gave his blessing to lead the elder out of the church. Two novices approached the elder, but before he was taken out, he managed to say to the priest once again: "You have not yet understood my words." Some time passed, and the one who was ordained departed from the Church. Not a single word uttered by the elder was empty. He acquired inner grace, knew a lot and foresaw. And everything external - the opinion of the people around him - was not important to him. "
Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin) said: “Once Fr. Gabriel was praying in the altar of the Zion Cathedral. He was approached by one famous archimandrite, who enjoyed authority among the monastics, and greeted him. Father Gabriel looked at him intently and suddenly said: "Unfortunate one, now kneel down and repent of your sins!" The archimandrite, offended, replied: “What do you care about my sins? I myself know when to repent! " Then Fr. Gabriel approached the throne and shouted: "I say to you, you are cursed by God!" This act surprised and outraged those present at the altar. A few years later, this archimandrite went into schism ... "
He also said: “Once the archimandrite of the Ksiropotamos monastery, accompanied by some other persons, came to Georgia, visited the monasteries and wanted to see Fr. Gabriel. Father Gabriel found out about this, and when they came to his cell, they saw him completely "drunk." The archimandrite's father said then: "Now I see that this is a real sallos (in Greek -" holy fool "): he did not want to talk to us and did not want to upset us with a refusal." Having prayed, they left his cell. "
Father Raphael also narrated the story of the elder himself: “When I was standing in prayer, I suddenly heard a voice:“ Hurry, go to Betania. ” This voice was repeated three times. I left prayer rule, got dressed, took a staff and a bag and went to Bethany. On the way I bought some bread. There was no passing car, and I went on foot. I was walking through the forest, and some force was hurrying me: "Don't stop, go quickly." By evening I arrived at the monastery. Schema-archimandrite John, the last surviving monk, met me. He said: "I prayed, child, that you would come to me and read a prayer of death over me." Despite the fact that Schema-Archimandrite John was ill for a long time, nothing foreshadowed his imminent death: he met me on my feet, and not in bed; his appearance was even more cheerful than when I saw him the last time ... Evening came. Schiarchimandrite blessed me to light the candles. He gave me the book "Kurtkhevani" (the so-called Trebnik in Georgian. - Ed. Note), opened in the place where the canon for the exodus of the soul was, and told me to read it. I cried and began to ask: "Father, may I die before you and instead of you." He replied: "You do not know what you are talking about and what you are asking for." I continued to cry, falling at his feet. Then he got up and uttered the first exclamation solemnly, like a bishop during a divine service. I could not disobey and began to continue my prayer. I read the canon for the exodus of my soul to the end ... Then I began to read the Jesus Prayer aloud, and suddenly Father John seemed to start, joy was reflected on his face. "My brother and father John came for me," he said, "and with him ..." - and he fell silent, his head sank on his chest. Minutes of silence passed. I went up to him. He was already dead ... I prayed all night. In the morning, people came to the monastery, as if having learned about the death of the abbot. We informed Patriarch Ephraim about the death of the great elder ... "
Metropolitan Daniel (Datuashvili) recalled: “I became close to Fr. Gabriel when I served at the Samtavriy Monastery. Fr. Gabriel was a true ascetic, possessed amazing spiritual gifts and great love. He is revered not only by the Georgian people, but also by the entire Orthodox world. "
Schiarchimandrite Vitaly (Sidorenko) stated: "Monk Gabriel is the greatest monk."
Monk Simeon (Abramishvili) said: "Archimandrite Gabriel is all monks put together."
Hieromonk Gerasim from the American brotherhood of St. Herman of Alaska wrote: “Archimandrite Gabriel is an ascetic of modern Georgia, her spiritual mentor. Persecuted for Christ, he endured severe torments, but remained alive and continues to testify about the Lord ... and support the long-suffering Georgian Church in the most difficult years. "
Archbishop Seraphim (Jojua) shared: “After the first meeting with Fr. Gabriel, I realized that he is an extraordinary person. God gave this ascetic the gift of divining the secrets of human hearts. His words, smile or tears were imbued with the love of God ... "
He also recalled: “Only the chosen one of God could love God in this way, so love people. Of ten foolish people, perhaps nine are in delusion, and only one is from God. This one was Elder Gabriel. "
In the last years of his life, the elder lived in the tower of the Samtavro monastery and was seriously ill with dropsy. Nun Paraskeva (Rostiashvili) said: “They pumped out liquid from him twelve times abdominal cavity... The doctor did this in primitive conditions in his own cell. A common person does not withstand this procedure more than two or three times. Everything that happened could only be explained by the grace of God. "
Nun Nino (Dzhulakidze) recalled: “In the last minutes of the elder's life, I was in his cell. Prayers were read in the church in the morning. In the evening, Metropolitan Daniel and Archimandrite Michael arrived. While reading the ninth canon of the canon, the elder smiled and gave his righteous soul to the Lord. "
The abbot of the Shio-Mgvim monastery, Archimandrite Mikhail (Gabrichidze), said: “We were in the Patriarchate when we learned that Father Gabriel was in a bad way. Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II blessed Vladyka Daniel, Metropolitan of the Tskhum-Abkhaz diocese, to go to Fr. Gabriel to read the canon for the exodus of the soul, and we immediately set off for Mtskheta. On the way, our car broke down, we were very worried that we would be late, and I asked Vladyka: "Are we really not going to find him alive?" And he replied that the Lord will not take the soul of His saint until the bishop comes to him. Indeed, when we arrived, the elder was still alive. As soon as Vladyka finished reading the canon for the exodus of the soul, Father Gabriel betrayed his soul to Beta. " This happened on November 2, 4995. According to his will, the body was wrapped in a mat and lowered into the grave.
The elder said about death: “Death is a transformation. Do not be afraid of death - be afraid of the judgment of God. Imagine how your heart beats when you stand in front of a professor in an exam. How much more terrifying it is to stand before God in judgment! The greatness of God is incomparable with anything. "
He also said: "The righteous man is not afraid of God."
Many pilgrims came to the grave of Father Gabriel - to the places where St. Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, asceticised for fourteen years. Many sick people, anointed with oil from the inextinguishable lamp on the grave, received healing.
Rusudan Mamuchishvili testified about one such case: “The miraculous oil from the inextinguishable lamp burning over the elder's coffin saved me from severe pain, and my husband from paralysis after he had a stroke. However, soon the husband began to violate the regimen prescribed by the doctors, and the stroke happened a second time. Then he repentantly said that he was not worthy of the mercy of God and the intercession of Elder Gabriel. He repented, and the Lord this time too, through the prayers of the elder, delivered him from his illness. Now he is doing well and goes to church almost every day. Thanks to the elder, God's grace came to our family and remains with us to this day. "
On December 20, 2012, the Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church canonized Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze). On December 25, 2014, the Holy Synod included the Monk Gabriel in the month of the Russian Orthodox Church. Memorial Day of the Elder - November 2 (n. Art.).
On February 22, 2014, the imperishable relics of the elder were found. About seven hundred thousand people came to worship the elder's grave. This fulfilled the prophecy of the Monk Gabriel that half of Georgia would come to him. Georgians call their beloved elder "Gabrieli's mother."
Holy relics from Samtavro monastery (Mtskheta) religious procession were transferred to the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, after which they were taken to the Tbilisi Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
Metropolitan Sergius (Chekurishvili) said: "The miracles that occur after the death of Elder Gabriel are even more convincing that he is a holy man."
Rev. Father Gabriel, pray to God for us!

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Elder Archimandrite Gabriel Urgebadze - Georgian saint

P Re-like confessor Gabriel (Urgebadze) was born on August 26, 1929. In the world, his name was Goverdzi, but he was usually called Vasiko, in memory of his early death by his father. Father Gabriel's mother was against his desire for monasticism for a long time, but at the end of her life she reconciled with the choice of her son and took tonsure herself. She was buried in the Samtavro monastery.

Have believed in God Vasiko as a child. Once the neighbors were cursing and one of them said: "You crucified me like Christ." The boy wondered what it meant to “crucify” and who is Christ. The adults sent the child to church, where the watchman advised him to read the Gospel. Vasiko saved up money and bought the Gospel. After a few years, he knew the text almost by heart. The desire for monasticism arose in him as early as childhood. Later, the elder said: "There is no greater heroism than monasticism" ... We can say that with his whole life he proved it.

On January 30, 1955, Goderdzi Urgebadze was ordained a deacon, on February 27 he became a monk with the name Gabriel (Gabriel), and soon he was ordained a hieromonk. He chose the monastic name for himself. So it is indicated in the petition to the Bishop of Kutaisi-Gaenat Gabriel. The Monk Gabriel of Athos became the angel from the tonsure, the elder who walked on the water and brought the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God that had sailed by sea to the Athos coast. Father Gabriel especially revered the miraculous copy of the "Iverskaya", kept in the Samtavro monastery.

Tetritskaroiskaya Street (house 11)

Father Gabriel built a multi-domed church in his home on Tetritskaroiskaya street (house 11). He erected it with his own hands, practically without assistance, and finished around 1962. The idea of ​​building churches was close to him since childhood. Even in kindergarten, he loved to build models of churches from matches. As a boy, he single-handedly went to a dilapidated littered cathedral and cleared it of large blocks that not every adult could lift. The elder's acquaintances said that his father, under Stalin, participated in the destruction of churches, the saint was very worried about this and prayed for his father.

The authorities tried many times to demolish the temple. No joke - just at the time of Khrushchev's persecution, when the churches were being closed, some "crazy" hieromonk took the church and opened the church without permission!

Once the commissioner came to Fr. Gabriel with the bishop to persuade the stubborn monk to dismantle the temple. The bishop told Fr. Gabriel that the time is now bad, "sometimes you have to retreat" and it would be better to dismantle the church. The elder created obedience and dismantled the front wall of the temple. And two days later he restored her. He was asked why he did it. “I listened and destroyed, and now good time- and built it, ”Father Gabriel answered. They did not touch him again.

Fr. Gabriel collected icons in the trash heaps. As his spiritual daughter Schema-abomination John (Sicharulide) writes, the elder went to the landfills almost every day. He had a reverent attitude towards the shrine since childhood. As a boy, he came to friends and said: “There is an icon in your house (indicated the exact place). Either pay her due respect, or give her to me, and she will be with me; then, if you want to give her due respect again, come to me, and I will gladly return her to you. "... Some felt sorry, and they left the icon, and some, who did not have such a desire, gave it away.

Above the entrance to the temple, Fr. Gabriel placed the inscription "Glory to God in the highest." There is also a sign "Free Georgia" in the church.

In his desire to tell people about Christ, he knew no fear.

On May 1, 1965, before the demonstration, Hieromonk Gabriel burned a 12-meter portrait of Lenin, hung on the building of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, and began to preach Christ to the assembled people. He was severely beaten. He predicted: "You yourself will then demolish the monuments to Lenin" ... He was put in the isolation ward of the KGB of Georgia. During interrogation, Father Gabriel said: “I did it because you can't idolize a person. There, in the place of the portrait of Lenin, there should be a crucifixion of Christ. Why do you write: "Glory to Lenin" when man does not need glory. You should write: "Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ" " ... In August 1965, Father Gabriel was transferred to a psychiatric hospital for examination. Here he was until August, when he was declared insane.

(By the way, many years before that the future old holy fool himself had come to a psychiatric clinic. After the army they wanted to marry him, and since childhood he firmly wanted to become a monk. To declare himself insane and upset the wedding in this way - he saw a way out.)

In the 1970s, he could, on Rustaveli Avenue (the main street of Tbilisi), raising his hands to the sky, urge people to open churches. The elder loved opera, but during the performance he could go up on stage and begin to preach. In the 1990s, during the confrontation between the troops of Zviyad Gamsakhurdia and the formations of Jaba Ioseliani "Mkhedrioni", he could go to the armed militants and expel them from the monastery, because he considered the war to be fratricidal.
For Georgia, Elder Gabriel, as for Greece, Elder Paisiy Svyatorets.

Future patriarch Ilia II, archimandrite Gabriel and nuns of the Samtavri monastery.

The monastery, dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Lord, was founded in Mtskheta in the first half of the 11th century. on the site of a wooden church of the IV century. Here are buried St. Equal to the Apostles Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, and St. Equal to the Apostles King Mirian. For the first time, Fr. Gabriel came to the Samtavriy Monastery when he was 12 years old. The nuns fed the boy, but did not allow him to stay. He spent the night in prayer at the gates of the monastery, asking the Mother of God to leave him in the monastery. After many years, his prayer was fulfilled. Subsequently, he visited the monastery many times and since 1987 began to live here in small house, a former chicken coop. He often left the monastery and in 1990 moved to the Shiomgvime monastery. Here he had a vision, from God was ordered to go to Samtavro and serve for the people. With the blessing of Patriarch Elijah II, Father Gabriel finally settled in Samtavro.

St. Miriana in the Samtavria monastery. Archimanrite Gabriel lived in it

The pit in whichFather Gabriel spent the night many times. He was generally distinguished by extreme non-covetousness. Sometimes, in order to humble his spiritual children, the elder went with them to begging. He used the collected alms to buy food and feed everyone around him. Each time, having done a good deed, the saint began to act like a fool. Especially often he pretended to be a drunkard - he put out a jug of wine or vodka

The elder said about his foolishness: “The Lord will diminish and exalt. When I begin to consider myself better than others, I put my tiara on my head and go out barefoot. People look at me and laugh, but I see how insignificant I am ".

Before his death, Fr. Gabriel was very ill, and often received people lying in his cell.

Father Gabriel died on November 2, 1995, immediately after the canon for the exodus of the soul was read over him. His funeral took place on November 4. “Death is transformation. Do not be afraid of death - be afraid of the judgment of God. Imagine how your heart beats when you stand in front of a professor in an exam. How much more terrible it is to stand before God at the judgment "- said Archimandrite Gabriel.

The elder's grave is located in the place where the Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina once prayed. After that, many people visit the Elder's Tomb. People come to him as if he were alive - for advice and consolation.

Litia at the grave of Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze) is being celebrated by Patriarch Ilia II and the bishops of the Georgian Church.

Archimandrite Gabriel said about Patriarch Elijah that he had two crosses. One is the Church, the other is the entire Georgian people

INSTRUCTIONS OF THE MONTENTARY GABRIEL CHRIST FOR THE LEGEND OF THE LEGEND

• When your Vera is scolded in front of you and you are silent, you are worse than that detractor.

• Better to be a fornicator a hundred times over than a heretic.

• When it is necessary to defend Faith and you don’t do it, your soul perishes; and if you perish defending the Faith, you will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Ecumenism is a super-heresy.

• The Orthodox Church is a ship sailing on a stormy ocean. We, the Orthodox, are on this ship, while people of other confessions sail on their own.

• The confessor must be chosen at will, and having chosen, already obey. But if the confessor teaches heresy, flee from him as from fire.

• Monasticism is a struggle to the last breath, striving for God to death.

• If a layman overcomes his passions for Christ's sake, he will be equated with monks.

• Death is transformation. Do not be afraid of death, be afraid of the judgment of God. Imagine how your heart beats when you stand in front of a professor in an exam. How much more terrible it is to stand before God at the Judgment! The greatness of God is incomparable with anything.

• Only with a heart full of love can one expose the sins of another person.

• Whoever learns to love will be happy. Just don't think that love is an innate talent. Love can be learned and we must do it.

• Live so that not only God loves you, but people also love you - there is nothing else.

• Lately, people will be saved by love, humility and kindness. Kindness will open the gates of Paradise, humility will lead there, and love will show God.

• The Lord shows someone else's misfortune to soften our hearts.

• God will return you a hundred times more than what you spent doing good deeds.

• Help a person in need - this will be your sacrifice to God.

• Everyone should wish for good, but doing good requires wisdom.

• When you do good, you go up one level, and when you sin, you go down. Our whole life is such a movement.

• How will the soul be calm when the neighbor is in danger? If you have a patient at home and there is no one to look after him, it is better not to go to Church, to stay at home.

• It is a good thing to feed pigeons and other birds.

• When you eat food, remember the hungry, thirsty and suffering.

• If you have been slandered, you have responded to good with evil, do not bear evil. Forgive and rejoice, because thanks to this you have come a few steps closer to God.

• Products on which the number of the antichrist is put cannot harm us. It is not yet a seal. It is necessary to say the prayer "Our Father", to cross, sprinkle with holy water - and so all food will be sanctified.

• Lately, supporters of the antichrist will go to church, be baptized and preach the gospel commandments. But do not trust those who do not have good deeds. Only by works can one recognize a real Christian.

• The place where the seal of the antichrist will be put is not the palm, but the index finger. It will be injected with the help of a computer under the skin, and it will not be visible. At first - at will. And when the Antichrist reigns and becomes the ruler of the world, he will force everyone to accept this seal. Those who do not accept will be declared traitors. Then you will have to go to the forest for ten to fifteen people together. One or two will not be saved. Whatever happens, do not lose hope in God. The Lord will teach you what to do. Whoever is strong in faith will not feel hunger or thirst, and natural disasters will not touch him.

• The devil has 666 nets. In the time of Antichrist, people will wait for salvation from outer space. This will become the devil's greatest trick: humanity will ask for help from aliens, not knowing that they are demons.

• If you steal, then you break one of the ten commandments. Whoever does this will accept the Antichrist as it is. A believer will trust in God. And the Lord in the last times will perform such miracles for His people that one leaf is enough for a whole month. A true believer will baptize the earth, and it will give him bread.

• Without the will of God, a demon cannot even move a crumb.

• It is difficult for a person to penetrate into the Providence of God. There is an allowance, will and providence of God. Allowance - when God gives a person freedom. The person then does what he wants. When the will of God is at work, a person does what God tells him to do. The will of God always brings good. Providence of God rules: now it commits permissiveness, then the will. When you cannot resolve the issue and don’t know what to do, trust the Providence of God and don’t think about anything else.

• It is not proper for a Christian to whine.

• Humility is an inextinguishable candle, pleasing to God.

• Mercy is gold, humility is diamond.

• Do not take "Judah's money" as a donation. Such money will surely involve you in a sin, from which you will not be able to get out soon.

• Not knowing the spiritual state of your neighbor, do not give him advice. Your advice could ruin him.

• It is a crime to print icons in secular newspapers.

• When others pray in front of the icons and crosses made by your hands, part of the grace is transferred to you.

• You cannot touch the face of the icon; it is enough to touch the frame with reverence. It is necessary to apply with love and hope.

• Holy water and prosphora are very strengthening. You must accept them with faith.

• If you become a witness to a theft and cannot interfere, read Our Father.

• For those in hell, the memorial service is like a light for a prisoner.

• "Can you lie in order to save a person?" - asked the elder. He replied: “Sometimes you hide something so as not to harm another person” - and told the following story: “One robber who was being chased ran to the hermit and asked to hide him. to him who, the monk calmly replied that he had not seen anyone. " When you lie out of fear, it's bad. When you do not speak the truth out of love for a person, then a lie, of course, will be counted as a sin, but love will cover everything.

If monastics do not have humility and repentance, then they will not be saved, but will perish.

• Woe to the monk or nun who does not get sick of the ailments of their people.
• A good monk should have a sensitive heart, like a woman's.
• A monk must do physical work, otherwise he will be discouraged.
• Religious should live in simplicity. Simplicity is the grace of God.
• A monk must be firm, defend the truth, because the truth is God Himself.
• A monk, like a roaring lion, must defend Orthodoxy.
• Monasticism is an angelic order. To achieve perfection, one must pass through the fire of temptations.
• There is no more heroism than monasticism.

• When you see your neighbor in trouble, help, comfort, pray for him with all your heart - and the Lord will hear your request and have mercy on him.

• For this only we exist in the world, to do as much good as possible.

MEMORIES ABOUT THE MONUMENT GABRIEL CHRIST FOR THE LEGEND OF HIS SPIRITUAL CHILD

Ketavan (Kopeliani) Abbess of the Samtavriy Monastery:

I met Elder Gabriel in the Zion Cathedral. After the liturgy, I respectfully approached him under the blessing, and he blessed him with the words: “God bless! You, my daughter, know: you will be the mother of Georgia! " I was frightened and ashamed, because the mother of Georgia is the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina! But time passed and His Holiness Patriarch Elijah II tonsured me a nun, and a few years later I was appointed abbess of the Samtavri monastery of St. Nina, Equal to the Apostles. (This is how the words of Father Gabriel came true: Samtavriysky convent is considered the mother of all Georgian monasteries, and his abbess is the mother of all Georgia

"... Father Gabriel treated the holy things with great reverence. He was constantly looking for and finding discarded icons. His favorite pastime was making frames for icons, cleaning candlesticks, cleaning up the altar ...

During the fratricidal war, armed people entered Samtavro - about forty people. The elder received them with love, blessed them, ordered them to take off their weapons, brought them to the temple, knelt down and read Our Father, presented them with crosses and preached a sermon from the pulpit. Then he asked: “Where are you going? What are your plans?" They confidently answered: "We are going to fight in Zugdidi." - "Who are you going to fight with, are your brothers there?" - and, raising his hands, the elder shouted: "Shoot me, I am Georgia!" - and then took the staff and exclaimed: “With this staff I will beat you all! You are not men, but women! " The "brave men" fled with such haste that they almost forgot their weapons. "

Schedule John (Siarulidze):

"... The elder got up very early and the Guardian Angel instructed him on good deeds. He almost every day went to the dump, looked for icons, church utensils among the garbage. There he often found ancient icons and was very happy returning home with the find. He I cleaned the icons, put them in order and placed them in the church, which I built with my own hands ...

I had a friend Mariam ... We loved each other very much and her death was a great loss for me. I prayed that God would send me an elderly person to look after in memory of my friend Mariam. I did not share my thoughts with anyone ... Once, after my prayer in the church of Mtatsminda, Fr. Gabriel said quietly: "I will show you a person who needs care." He was a lonely old man who could not walk. I looked after him until his death, and when he passed away, Father Gabriel was serving his funeral service. "

Nun Ekaterina (Ebralidze):

"... One winter I fell ill, and for three days did not leave my cell. Father Gabriel, having learned about my illness, came to me." Blessed Xenia "(he called me so jokingly), why did you get sick?" , he began to pray: “I, Monk Gabriel, will walk with my shoes on for three days for the sake of 'Blessed Xenia' - and immediately took off my shoes ... Fr. Gabriel really walked without shoes for three days and did not get sick, but I recovered ...

I remember how the daughter of nun Pelagia fell seriously ill, and the doctors could not make a diagnosis. Elder Gabriel asked to be brought to him. The elder, the girl and I entered the chapel. From the bottom of his heart, Fr. Gabriel called out: "Mother of God, Quick-to-hear, Helper, heal Miriam!" Then, having washed the icon with water, he collected the water in a basin and gave it to drink. She drank and was healed. This incident amazed me. "
Schema nun Nino (Dashniani)

“... Once Fr. Gabriel was quietly sitting in the courtyard of the monastery on a bench. At that time, a beautiful woman with painted eyes, in trousers approached him. She sat down on the elder’s lap, kissed him and said:“ Fr. Gabriel, how beautiful you are. You are I like it! I will come to you again ... ".

We stood in a daze, not understanding what was happening. Father Gabriel seemed to have turned to stone ... The elder listened to her meaningless babble for a long time, did not interrupt, then said: “Come, Makvala, come again ...”. When she heard that the elder called her by name, she abruptly jumped up from the elder's knees and without looking back ran to the exit ... The next day ... Makvala really returned, but a miracle happened: she had nothing to do with the one that came yesterday: she was dressed in a long black skirt, a scarf on his head, tears in his eyes. She stood at the entrance to Fr. Gabriel's cell and repeated with tears: “Fr. Gabriel, I know that you will not open the doors. I know I will never see you, forgive my yesterday's shamelessness. Thank you for everything. " This change overwhelmed us "...

Nun Paraskeva (Rostiashvili) :

"... They brought a guest from Mount Athos to the elder. Father Gabriel immediately presented him with an icon of the saint whose name he bore before they could introduce the guest to the elder. Surprised, the guest fell on his knees in front of the elder and asked him to come to Athos, but father Gabriel replied that he would not leave Georgia anywhere. This guest was the abbot of the monastery Xenophon. "

Otar Nikoloshvili:

"... All the words spoken by the elder were law for me. But one of his blessings still puzzled me. He said:" Now in your car we will go to the monastery of Anthony Martkopsky. "I was embarrassed and began to explain that it was impossible : the car was out of order, but immediately stopped, realizing that it was impossible to drain. As the elder said, it will be so. What can you do - let's go. I thought that at the first ascent we would stop and we would have to spend the night in the forest.

Suddenly Fr. Gabriel raised his hands and said: "Don't look back, we have St. Anthony of Martkopsky in our car!" My hair stood on end with fear. I wanted to look back, but he sternly warned: "Look ahead carefully and hold the steering wheel firmly." The car was barely moving. But suddenly the car rushed off so that I could hardly manage to turn the steering wheel when cornering along the bumpy road. I had the feeling that a thousand people were pushing a car from behind. Again I wanted to look back at least through the mirror, but before I had time to think about it, the elder once again warned: "Don't look back!"

Bursting at great speed into the courtyard of the monastery, the car stalled. The abbot of the monastery, Father Joseph (Kikvadze), greeted us with great respect and love and invited us to a meal. Soon, in the courtyard of the monastery, shouts of young people who came from the nearest village were heard. They brawled and threatened, demanding a meeting with the monks. I wanted to intervene, but the elder glared at me. He went out himself with outstretched hands and loudly said: "If you are thirsty for blood, shoot me! Let my blood, the blood of Monk Gabriel, be enough for you, and do not touch others. God will forgive you for my murder, but if you kill them, this He will not forgive you. "
As it turned out, the brawlers knew all the brothers of the monastery and when they saw an old, unknown monk, they were embarrassed, not knowing what to do. Gradually they calmed down, some even asked for forgiveness. So the elder foresaw that the Martkop monastery was in for trouble, and therefore, unexpectedly for everyone, decided to go there. The great saint himself, the Monk Anthony of Martkop, blessed the elder to save the monastery from harm. "

Archimandrite Michael (Gabrichidze), abbot of the Shio-Mgvim monastery:

"... Once, a parishioner of our church gave me a black and white photograph of Fr. Gabriel, which I put into the Gospel. In 1997, the Georgian Orthodox Church found itself in a difficult situation. (The clergy and parishioners of several monasteries and churches of Georgia turned to the Patriarch and the Synod Georgian Orthodox Church with a written request to secede from the World Council of Churches, to sever all relations with her).
Catholicos ... Ilia II, blessed the priests to vigilantly read the Gospel. I had to read the 23rd and 24th chapters from Luke. When I opened the book, I found a photograph of Fr. Gabriel. I am sure that the elder prays with us…. After that, through the prayers of Saint Nina Equal to the Apostles, the thirteen reverend Syrian Fathers, the Monk Gabriel, and other Georgian saints, the Georgian Orthodox Church withdrew from the WCC. "

Venerable Confessor Father Gabriel, for Christ's sake, holy fool, pray to God for us!