Archangel Gabriel - Gabriel - Gabriel. Icon of the Archangel Gabriel - meaning, what the Icon of the Archangel Gabriel helps with, meaning patronage

Character from Christian, Muslim and Jewish mythologies. Senior angel. In Islam he bears the name Jibril, which means “servant of Allah.” In Orthodoxy he bears the title of archangel - the military leader of the angelic forces, like.

Origin story

In Judaism there are four archangels, they stand at each of the four sides of the divine throne and guard the four ends of the world. They pray to the archangels “for the coming sleep” and mention them together. Gabriel is one of these four. Together with Michael, Gabriel protects Jews from oppression and persecution, and also prays before the throne of God for the liberation of people from captivity and the well-being of all humanity.

In addition, Gabriel serves as the angel of death in Judaism. The hero appears to the dying righteous, carrying a perfectly straight knife in his hands. With the help of this knife, Gabriel takes the soul. Heaven sends another angel for the souls of sinners - and he comes with a jagged knife. Both of these processes are compared to "shechita" - the ritual killing of birds and mammals for food. Only in the case of Samael this shechita is not kosher.

In Judaism, Gabriel is also considered the killer of the monstrous leviathan - a huge sea monster.

In Christian mythology, the Archangel Gabriel conveys the secret knowledge of God to people. , a character in the Old Testament, through Gabriel, becomes familiar with the secrets of the future and informs people that in “seventy weeks” the Messiah will appear on Earth.

The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the righteous Zechariah, who became a father, in the temple to announce the birth of his son. This is stated in the New Testament Gospel of Luke. The future father did not believe the angel, and for this Gabriel struck Zechariah with muteness.

Zechariah's wife Elizabeth was a relative. When Elizabeth was already six months pregnant, God sent Gabriel to Nazareth to inform the Virgin Mary about the upcoming birth of Jesus Christ. At the end of Mary's life, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her again to inform her of her approaching death.

The attributes of Gabriel in Christianity are a lily or a branch of paradise. The archangel is depicted with her in scenes of the Annunciation and on icons. Gabriel is also depicted with a spherical mirror in his hands or with a lamp.

In Orthodoxy, Gabriel is considered "the servant of our Lord." The Orthodox version of the “biography” of the archangel can be found in the collection of lives.

In Islam, as in Judaism, there are four angels close to Allah, and one of them is Jibril. This angel plays the role of mediator between Allah and the prophet, as well as other prophets. Jibril patronizes Muhammad and protects the prophet from unbelievers. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, was revealed by Allah to Muhammad through Jibril.

The role that Jibril played in the life of the Prophet Muhammad is described in detail in the Sunnah - the Muslim sacred tradition. For twenty-three years in a row, the angel conveyed the Koran to the prophet in parts, and also instructed and protected Muhammad. When the prophet made a night journey to Jerusalem, Jibril accompanied him. The angel acted on the side of Muhammad in the war with the pagans of Mecca and in theological discussions. Jibril is also associated with the prophet Isa and his mother Maryam.

The angel is credited with enormous growth: Jibril's feet stand on the ground, while his head rises into the clouds. The angel was sent by Allah to fetch the earth from which he created, and after the expulsion of man from paradise, Jibril began to take care of him. This angel is strongly connected with people - Jibril saves some characters of Muslim mythology, helps others, teaches others languages ​​or the art of making chain mail.

In culture

The image of the Archangel Gabriel has been present in visual art since ancient times - on frescoes, stained glass windows and reliefs of temples. A statue depicting Gabriel was in Westminster Abbey (now in the Royal Museum of Architecture in London). The most famous image of Gabriel is presented in the Annunciation scene in the painting of the same name, where a kneeling angel extends his hand in a blessing gesture to the Virgin Mary. The painting is kept in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

The character is depicted on the 12th century Novgorod icon “Golden Haired Angel”, which is kept in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. This icon is of great importance as the oldest in the museum’s collection. The stripes of gold that are laid here along the angel's hair symbolize the divine principle.

Film adaptations

In the TV series Dominion, which aired in 2014-2015, the role of the Archangel Gabriel was played by actor Carl Beukes. Here Gabriel is a negative character who dreams of destroying humanity and at the same time dealing with his colleague Archangel Michael, played by English actor Tom Wisdom.

Gabriel took up arms against humanity after God disappeared into God knows where. The Archangel believes that people are to blame. To destroy the human race, he gathered an army of lower angels, whom he lured to his own side, convincing him that people were the source of evil. The war has been going on for a quarter of a century, and people live locked in fortified cities. In the former Las Vegas lives Michael, who confronts Gabriel and awaits the new appearance of the Savior.

In 2014, the film “Love Through Time” was released, where the role of the angel Gabriel was played by actor Finn Wittrock. Gabriel is introduced here as a mortal who was an angel before, and is a minor character. At the instigation of a certain villain, this Gabriel quietly poisons the girl during the ball.

In 2010, the fantasy action movie Legion was released with a similar plot - again the Archangel Michael is trying to protect humanity, while Gabriel wants to destroy people. However, this time the order to get rid of people by “launching” the Apocalypse comes directly from God, who is tired of looking at “all this crap.” Therefore, Michael is considered a rebellious angel, who resisted this order. Michael here protects the child, who is supposed to become the savior of the world, and enters into a fight with Gabriel.

In 2007, the Australian mystical action film “Angel of Light” was released, where the Archangel Gabriel became the main character. The role of the divine messenger here was played by an actor. The setting of this film is Purgatory, for which the forces of Hell and Heaven have long fought. Hell won in the end. Gabriel, the last of the bright angels surviving in this struggle, goes to Purgatory to find out what happened there and restore the shaky balance.

Archangel Gabriel also appears in the popular TV series Supernatural, where the character is portrayed as a trickster - a kind of mythological "prankster" and joker who fools the Winchesters and opposes his own angelic brothers on the side of the people.

The role of Gabriel in Supernatural is played by Richard Speight. The character appears in only four episodes. This Gabriel is cheerful and loves to fool others, has a light character and a good sense of humor, and also does not want the Apocalypse to happen on Earth.

In the fifth season, Gabriel is killed, but the writers left a loophole in the plot so that, if necessary, the hero could be brought back. This loophole was taken advantage of in season 13, when it turned out that Gabriel was still alive, but Asmodeus was keeping him in prison.

In 2005, the mystical thriller “Constantine: Lord of Darkness” was released, directed by Francis Lawrence based on the comic book series “Messenger of Hell”. Gabriel is played here by an actress, and the hero himself is not an archangel, but a half-breed, the result of a love affair between a man and an angel. The character conspires with another half-breed son to turn the Earth into Hell.

The point is that from this Gabriel's point of view, people are not worth the love that God gives them. The hero believes that only Hell is capable of cleansing people from filth and making them worthy of divine love. In order for the desired Hell to come to the planet, the half-breed angel is trying to contribute to the birth of the Antichrist.

In the 2004 film Van Helsing, God sends Gabriel into the human world to deal with the Count, the first vampire on Earth. Along the way, the hero loses his memory and begins to consider himself a human - a hunter of the undead. Among the hero's memories, only a few vague fragments remain, depicting battles from ancient times.

For example, Gabriel remembers an episode of a certain battle in which the ancient Romans took part. Because of all this, others have questions about the true age and nature of the hero. Later, Dracula tells his eternal enemy about his past. The role of Gabriel/Van Helsing is played by actor Hugh Jackman.

In the mystical thrillers of the “Prophecy” trilogy, the Archangel Gabriel is the main character. The role is played by an actor. The films were released in 1995, 1998 and 2000. There is a war going on in the world of angels, and Gabriel leads one of the sides. The soul that God endowed people with became an object of envy for the rebellious archangel. Gabriel hates people and dreams of destroying the human race.

And Gabriel’s first appearance in a movie occurred in 1976. In the Italian film The Second Tragic Fantozzi, the archangel appears to the delirious protagonist.

Orthodox people believe that saints can guide them on the right path, ward off trouble, and help solve a difficult situation. But, you should contact a certain archangel if a person wants to really quickly correct the situation. Therefore, you should know what Archangel Gabriel helps with and in what cases you should turn to him for help.

How does the Holy Archangel Gabriel help?

This character, according to biblical texts, was chosen by himself in order to inform people that the son of the Lord had come to earth. This archangel ranks second in the hierarchy. The first is considered to be Michael, who trampled on Lucifer.

Archangel Gabriel is considered the patron saint of those who want to have a child. It promotes conception and also protects pregnant women and the unborn child.

In addition, he patronizes those people whose work is related to communication. Sales managers, psychologists, and journalists should turn to him for help.

How does the icon of the Archangel Gabriel help?

It has already been written above who this saint can help. Those who are unable to conceive a child can and should pray to his image. Judging by people's reviews, women who asked for help from this archangel often got what they wanted, that is, they became pregnant and gave birth to healthy children. Therefore, in churches you can meet many girls who want to conceive, but for some reason cannot do this.

Those whose activities are related to communication also often seek the protection of Archangel Gabriel, who protects representatives of these professions. It will help if your career is not going well, or if you have troubles at work. You can ask him for protection from the insidious plans of enemies, as well as for his strength to contribute to promotion or material growth.

There is a special prayer with which you should contact Gabriel. Its text can be found in special collections, and you can also ask a clergyman. In order to turn to the saint, go in and light a candle near the icon with the image of this archangel. At the same time, read the prayer and voice your request.

As a rule, Gabriel helps those whose thoughts are pure and selfless. Therefore, a person who wants to carry out some kind of trick should not contact him, this will bring nothing but grief and unhappiness.

“I’m silent because I’m in awe...” (c) And here we have a society of anonymous schizophrenics (c)

Name: Acts of Archangel Gabriel
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"Gabriel" is derived from the Hebrew name "Gabriel". This name literally means “The Almighty is my strength.” Along with Archangel Michael, Archangel Gabriel is mentioned in the book of Daniel, where he explains the vision to the prophet.

Four Archangels
Gabriel is one of the four angels who stand on the four sides of the throne of God and act as guardians at the four ends of the world. These four archangels ( Gabriel, Michael, Uriel and Raphael; in Russian tradition Gabriel, Mikhail, Yuri and Rafail), which are still called upon in prayer for the coming sleep, are often mentioned together. These four names are engraved on one gold tablet found in the tomb of the wife of Emperor Honorius. Most often, Gabriel is mentioned next to Michael, as occupying second place after him. On one Gnostic gem there is a Greek inscription: “Michael is the highest, Gabriel - the most powerful" The three angels who appeared to Abraham were Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael takes his place at the right hand of the Lord, Gabriel - on the left. Gabriel had the image of a “husband” and, according to the Talmud, he was the same “man dressed in linen” who is described in the book of Yehezkel.

Gabriel is the lord of fire. It is he who is entrusted with liberating both Abraham, Hananah, Michael and Azariah from the fiery furnace. In only one case is Michael called the lord of fire, and Gabriel the lord of water. Gabriel is also in charge of the ripening of fruits.
Gabriel appeared to Moshe in the clothes of a worker and taught him how to make a seven-branched candlestick. Like all angels, Gabriel has wings, but while Michael flies around the world with one flap of his wings, Gabriel needs two flaps to do this. Very often, archangels Michael and Gabriel act together, but the former, as the guardian angel of Israel and the heavenly high priest, is more busy in heaven, while the latter fulfills the duties of a messenger before the Almighty, carrying out all His plans on earth.

Actions and responsibilities of Gabriel, the rise of Rome
In addition to the indicated actions and responsibilities assigned to Gabriel, he also often acts as an instrument of the Almighty. So, after visiting Abraham with the other two angels, he goes to destroy Sodom and save Lot. The angel Samael, wanting to destroy Tamar so that David would not descend from her, stole the things left by Judah from her, with which she could prove her loyalty to him; however, Gabriel restored them again. He taught Yosef all seventy languages, and he also brought Yochebed to Amram. When the slaves of Pharaoh's daughter wanted to convince her to refuse to save Moses, he struck them down with a blow. During the marriage of King Shlomo to the daughter of one of the pharaohs, he (according to some opinions - Michael) stuck a reed into the middle of the sea. Over time, a lot of sea mud collected around it, from which an island was formed, and Rome was subsequently built on it. He struck the hordes of Sancheriv with plague. He marks the foreheads of righteous and sinful people with special signs. It fell to his lot to throw fire at the Temple and the city, which the angel took from the hands of the cherub. Gabriel prevented Queen Vashti from appearing at the call of King Ahasuerus and restored again the story of the services rendered to this king by Mordechai (according to some opinions - Michael), the memory of which was destroyed by Shimshai. Finally, according to a later legend, he defeated the judges who refused to take the side of Shimon ben Shetah in his fight with King Alexander Yannai.

Judaism and angels
Judaism strictly prohibits the worship of angels. “Pray neither to Michael nor to Gabriel, but only to Me, and I will answer you directly.”
The name Gabriel plays a significant role in some gems, in numerous papyri that treat magic among Christians and Muslims. “In Christianity, like Judaism, Gabriel stands next to the Archangel Michael, but not on the same level as him.” Even to this day, Gabriel plays a significant role in the mystical literature of Christians and Mohammedans.

Legends about Gabriel
Archangel Gabriel is often mentioned in the legends of the peoples of the world. They were somehow borrowed from the Oral and Written Torah, but over time they were distorted and mixed with folklore.
There are many traditions in Arabic literature that are directly or indirectly borrowed from the Haggadah. Archangel Gabriel (“Jibril”) is mentioned only twice in the Quran. However, according to commentators of the Koran, Gabriel is repeatedly spoken of, only under different names; for example, he is called "Ruh al-Quds" ("spirit of holiness"), "Ruh al-Amin" ("spirit of faith"), "Shadid al-Quwwa" ("formidable par excellence") and "Rasul Karim" (“noble messenger”). According to Beidawi's explanation, the name Gabriel means "servant of God."

Gabriel and Coran
According to legend, Gabriel opened and told Muhammad the contents of the Koran. Because of this, some Arab writers believed that the Jews considered Gabriel their enemy! This was confirmed by the statement of the prophet himself that the enemies of Gabriel were the enemies of God. Gabriel presented himself as a mediator between Allah and the prophet. This also explains the fact that at the beginning of some suras of the Koran there are three letters, aleph, lamed and mem. Ibn Abbas interprets them in this way: aleph - the designation of God, lamed - Gabriel, ma'am - Muhammad. Gabriel pronounced the command of God before the prophet: “Read!” Because of this, he is revered by Muslims as “the guardian of heavenly treasures (Revelation).” He is one of the angels who communicate directly with God (al-Mukkarabim). Together with three other angels, Gabriel will survive the Day of Judgment, when all other creatures will perish.

Acts of Gabriel
According to Arab legends, as a messenger of God, Gabriel took part in the creation of Adam, because God commanded him to collect all kinds of clay, from which the body of the first man was created. After the expulsion of the first parents from paradise, Gabriel took pity on them: he gave Adam and Eve a small bag of wheat and taught them to sow it and then collect the grain. He also gave Adam an ox so that he could plow the ground with it. The same archangel taught Adam to make fire using flint and iron. Gabriel was also friendly to the forefather Abraham, helping him when Nimrod threw him into a blazing fire. Nimrod, using a catapult, threw Abraham into the air, and he would certainly have fallen into the fire if Gabriel had not caught him and held him in the air.

Arab artists depict Gabriel as one of the three angels (Jibril, Michael and Israfil, who corresponds to the Hebrew Uriel) who visited Abraham. The angels did not want to taste the food offered to them by the patriarch without first paying the cost of the flour. Then Abraham replied: “You will pay for her by glorifying the Most High,” to which Gabriel nodded his head approvingly and said: “Truly this man is worthy to be called a friend of God.”

About the destruction of Sodom
Commenting on the story of Lot and the angels who came to him in Sodom to inform him of the punishment awaiting the local residents, the authors explain that Gabriel touched the inhabitants of the city with his wings so that they went blind. With the same wings, Gabriel lifted the entire city into the air to such a height that the barking of dogs and the crowing of the roosters of Sodom could be clearly heard in the sky. Then the angel turned the entire city over in the air and forcefully threw it down to the ground. Abraham begged Gabriel to spare the city if there were ten believers in it. In the end, the archangel promised Abraham to help save Lot and his family with the exception of Lot's wife. However, having found in Lot’s behavior confirmation of the words of the Almighty about the complete depravity of the inhabitants of Sodom, Gabriel put an end to the city in the above manner.

Fall of the Tower of Babel
In the account of Moses' mission to Pharaoh, Arab commentators attribute a prominent role to Gabriel. Telling about the tower built by the ruler of Egypt in order to rise to the God of Moses, it is said that Gabriel touched it with his wing and it fell apart, splitting into three parts: one fell on the Pharaoh’s army and instantly killed a thousand people, the other fell into the sea, and the third collapsed to the ground, crushing the builders, not a single one of whom survived. When Pharaoh was ready to believe in the God of Moses, Gabriel grabbed a handful of sea mud and smeared it on the king’s mouth. Subsequently, talking with Muhammad, Gabriel boasted of this foresight, explaining it with his fear that the Almighty would not be imbued with compassion for the pharaoh.

God threatened to bring down Mount Sinai on the Israelites if they did not accept the Law. When the Jews began to persist, Gabriel was summoned to the mountain and began to hold its top above the heads of the people gathered at its foot.

Gabriel also came to Moses with the message that the giant Og was in a helpless position, caught in his own trap, and encouraged him to kill this king.

Message to King David
It fell to Gabriel to be a messenger to King David, crushed by his sinfulness, and to declare to him the forgiveness granted by God. The same angel gathered a mass of demons from everywhere and delivered them to their new ruler, King Shlomo. In another legend, the Almighty gathered the birds so that they would bow before King Solomon. Gabriel also delivered to the latter from paradise a magical ring with the inscription “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet.” Previously, this ring belonged to Adam. All this happened on Friday, the 27th day of the month of Muharram.

Other deeds of Gabriel
Stories about the deeds of Gabriel are also preserved in the folk traditions of the Moriscos. Gabriel played the role of a witness (notary) at the marriage of Adam and Eve. He encouraged Abraham to marry Hagar. He replaced Isaac with a ram on Mount Moriah and kept Abraham from sacrificing his own son. Gabriel announced to Sarah the birth of Isaac. When Joseph was in prison, Gabriel taught him to use sand for ritual ablutions in the absence of water. Gabriel, disguised as Joseph's father, protected the latter from the attempt by Potiphar's wife on his chastity.

Yosef's robe was a gift from Gabriel, who wove it from heavenly silk for Abraham when the latter was in danger of being cast into the fiery furnace. Abraham gave it to Isaac, Isaac gave it to Yaakov, and he gave it as an amulet to Joseph. Gabriel appeared before Yosef, unwrapped the robe, and clothed him in it. The same Gabriel, having first placed a small child in a cradle so that it could testify in favor of Joseph, established through this child the latter’s innocence when Potiphar’s wife accused him of an attempt on her honor. The length of Joseph's imprisonment, according to Gabriel, was so significant because Joseph trusted people more than God. Gabriel kept Joseph from sending a letter to his father so that Yakov would thereby suffer punishment for one of his previous, admittedly minor, sins.

Conclusions:
1. Gabriel is one of the four angels who stand on the four sides of the throne of God and act as guardians at the four ends of the world.
2. “Michael is the highest, Gabriel is the most powerful.”
3. Gabriel is the lord of fire.
4. Gabriel often acts as an instrument of the Most High.
5. Gabriel is one of the angels who communicate directly with God.
6. Together with three other angels, Gabriel will survive the Day of Judgment, when all other creatures will perish.

Bibliography

Gabriel is revered by Orthodox Christians as the messenger of the coming of the Son of God to earth. The icon of the Archangel Gabriel can become a real defense of your home from troubles, enemies and misfortunes.

The history of the holy image of Archangel Gabriel

Of the entire host of angels, the most famous are two archangels close to God - Michael, who expelled Lucifer from Paradise, and Gabriel, who announced to people about the coming of Jesus Christ. The name of the Archangel itself is translated from Hebrew as “My strength is the Lord.” According to legend, it is Gabriel who knows all the good and evil deeds of people and intercedes for sinners before the Lord, begging them to forgive their sins.

The Gospel text says that Archangel Gabriel also appeared to Zechariah, the priest in the temple, to inform him of the birth of John the Baptist. The most common image of Gabriel is the icon of Our Lady of the Annunciation, which depicts the appearance of the Archangel to the Virgin Mary with the news of the imminent birth of Jesus Christ.

Where is the icon

The most ancient image of the highest angel Gabriel, “Golden Hair,” dates back to the 12th century. The icon was originally discovered in the Moscow Rumyantsev Museum in 1921. Where the ancient image came from in the Russian capital still remains a mystery. After restoration, the icon went to the Tretyakov Gallery, and then to the Russian Museum, where it is currently located.

Description and meaning of the icon

In the icon, Archangel Gabriel is depicted standing on a cloud. In one hand he holds a lantern with a lit candle, and in the other a mirror made of jasper, reflecting human deeds, visible only to the Archangel and God.

The light of the lantern and the mirror are invisibly connected with each other: with their help, Archangel Gabriel can reveal to a person who is pure in heart the secret of the Grace of God. To do this, a person needs to look into a mirror, illuminated by the light of truth and love emanating from the lantern.

How does the icon of the Archangel Gabriel help?

The messenger of God, who announced the birth of the baby Jesus to the Virgin Mary, is first of all addressed to women who want to give birth to a child. It is generally accepted that Archangel Gabriel is able to preserve the health of the expectant mother and gift the baby with true talent from God.

Gabriel is also considered the heavenly patron of people whose profession is related to the word and the transmission of information: teachers, journalists, writers, poets and historians. Prayers to the Archangel can help you succeed in your business and maintain ardent faith in God and His love.

Gabriel is fair, but has no mercy for hypocrites and liars. That is why people who are betrayed or cruelly deceived by someone turn to the Archangel in prayer. Those who sincerely ask the Messenger of the Lord for help and protection always receive it.

Prayers to the image of Archangel Gabriel

“O holy Archangel, beloved by God, messenger of human salvation, who announced the birth of John and the coming of Christ! I beg you, bearer of justice, to grant the servant of God (name) your protection. Show the servant of God (name) the path of true faith, so that he may atone for voluntary and involuntary sins and gain the path to the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen".

This prayer to Archangel Gabriel can protect someone close to you from a fatal mistake and turn them onto the path of kindness and love for the Lord.

“Gabriel, who brought good news to the immaculate Virgin, who announced to the Mother of God the glory of the entire human race, I pray you, help me, the servant of God (name), to be filled with goodness and continue the race according to the commandment of my Lord Jesus Christ, who created the world and gave life to every creature on earth and in heaven! I pray to you, O most holy and just Archangel, grant me the good news to hear and rejoice in the justice and love of our God. Amen".

“Gabriel, beloved by God, who sees all human sins and asks for sinners who repent and seek the path to the Kingdom of Heaven! With tears, I pray to you: ask our God to forgive me all my sins, voluntary and involuntary, committed in dreams and in reality, bad thoughts and wicked deeds. Show me, a weak and unworthy servant of God, the path to forgiveness and redemption, so that I can be filled with the light of the Lord’s true love and humbly enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen".

This prayer to the icon of the Archangel Gabriel must be read to atone for sins and change one’s destiny.

What does the holy icon look like?

The most common image of the Archangel Gabriel is an icon where the messenger of the Lord is depicted with a jasper mirror in one hand and a burning lantern in the other. It is believed that this particular icon should be kept in the home of people whose profession is related to information. This image is able to protect the owner of the house from injustice, failures in work and deception.

Also very common is the icon of the Archangel Gabriel holding white lilies in his hands. These flowers are considered a symbol of spirituality, faith and purity.

In Gabriel’s hands, they become both a symbol of the good news and a reminder that only by cleansing your soul from sin can you experience the grace of God’s blessing.

In many churches you can find the image of the Archangels Gabriel and Michael. This icon reminds us all of the good deeds of two Archangels close to God. This image is useful to have in the home for those people whose lives are connected with the struggle for justice and judicial activities.

The days of veneration of the icon of the Archangel Gabriel are April 8 and July 26 according to the new style. At this time, prayers for forgiveness of sins are especially strong, and good wishes to loved ones can protect them from great danger. We wish you peace in your soul and strong faith in God. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and

One of the highest angels appears in the Old and New Testaments as the bearer of joyful tidings. He announces to the priest Zechariah in the temple, during the offering of incense, the birth of John the Baptist, and to the Ever-Virgin in Nazareth - about the birth of the Savior of the world.

According to the Bible, he is considered the guardian angel of the chosen people. Kabbalists consider him the teacher of Patriarch Joseph; According to the teachings of the Mohammedans, Mohammed received his revelations from him and was carried to Heaven by him.

On the icons he is depicted with candles and a jasper mirror as a sign that the ways of God are not clear until time, but are comprehended over time by studying the word of God and obedience to the voice of conscience.

Mentioned in canonical books:

Dan. 8:16 and 9: 21;

OK. 1:9 and 26.

Saint Archangel Gabriel, as explained in the “Guide to Painting Icons,” “is depicted holding a lantern with a candle lit inside in his right hand, and a stone mirror in his left hand.” (Fartusov, p. 226).

This mirror made of green jasper (jasper) with black and white spots on it, illuminated by the light of truth, reflects the good and bad deeds of nations, proclaims to people the secrets of God's economy and the salvation of mankind.

The name Gabriel, received by the Archangel from God, means in Russian Fortress of God or Power of God .

Read also:

Hello. Please tell me, are there such Archangels in Christianity: Archangel Chamuel, Archangel Zadkiel, Archangel Jophiel? Thank you. Hope.

Priest Mikhail Samokhin answers:

Hello. Hope!

In Orthodoxy there are no Archangels with such names. The canonical books of Holy Scripture mention the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. In the apocrypha "Book of Enoch" the Archangels Barachiel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Raphael, Uriel and Jeremiel are mentioned. The names of the Archangels that you give refer to Kabbalistic angelology, that is, in the teaching about Angels of the late Jewish tradition, which existed in parallel with Christianity.

Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.

The story of salvation and miracles of Archangel Gabriel

Throughout the long history of human salvation, Archangel Gabriel was famous for his miracles. It is believed that the memory of Archangel Gabriel was established on Mount Athos back in the 9th century. Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Athonite monks in a cell near Kareia, where with his finger he wrote on a stone the hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos “It is worthy to eat.” This cell is still called “Worthy.”

• Archangel Gabriel also appeared to Biblical characters - Moses, while he was guarding the flock. Archangel Gabriel told the chosen one of the Lord the secret of how our world was created. It was the words of Archangel Gabriel that Moses wrote down in the Book of Genesis. Biblical prophets usually proclaimed the will of God about the future, while Moses spoke about the events of the past.
• Archangel Gabriel also appeared to the prophet Daniel to announce future Kingdoms and the coming of the Savior.
• The Archangel Gabriel came to Saint Anna to say that she would give birth to a daughter, the Most Pure and Blessed - the Virgin Mary, who would become the Mother of our Savior.
• Many times Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary herself when She was in the Jerusalem Temple. The High Priest and Prophet Zechariah learned from Archnagel Gabriel about the birth of John the Baptist. The punishment of the prophet by muteness for distrusting the words of the Archangel, the appearance of the Most Pure Virgin with the good news... All these are stories about the Archangel Gabriel.

The angel, coming to Her, said: Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women. She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this would be. And the Angel said to Her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for You have found favor with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.

The angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John; and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord; He will not drink wine or strong drink, and will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb; and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God; and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to restore the hearts of the fathers to the children, and to the disobedient to the minds of the righteous, to present to the Lord a prepared people.

• He also came to righteous Joseph in moments of doubt. He appeared before the shepherds near Bethlehem and appeared to the Lord Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane to strengthen Jesus before the coming suffering. It was Archangel Gabriel who appeared after and before the myrrh-bearing women: And early in the morning on the first day of the week, that is, on Sunday, when the sun was rising, they came to the Tomb. And they said to each other: who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us? And, looking, they see that the stone has been rolled away; and he was very big. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in white clothing; and were horrified. He says to them: do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, crucified; He has risen, He is not here. This is the place where He was laid. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you. And they went out and ran from the tomb; They were seized with trepidation and horror, and they did not say anything to anyone, because they were afraid. Rising early on the first day of the week(on Sunday), Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he cast out seven demons. She went and told those who were with Him(that is, the apostles), crying and sobbing(Mark 15:46–47; 16:1–10).

Many miracles are associated with his name, which were also reported by ordinary believers.

Archangel Gabriel was sent to the Lord Jesus himself to help, strengthen and support. This is a sign of the greatest trust of God the Father. Therefore, we can also turn to Archangel Gabriel with prayer requests. If demons cast evil thoughts, then all good things come to us from the Lord through the angels, to whom God has entrusted protection over people. Angels suggest the right decision; we call their voices “the voice of conscience.”

Iconographic images

On icons, the Archangel Gabriel is usually depicted with a blooming branch of paradise or a lily flower. You can also find images with a spherical mirror in hand, and sometimes with a candle inside a lamp. Archangel Gabriel is often depicted on the northern doors of the iconostasis and is one of the shield holders on the Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire.

What can you ask Archangel Gabriel for?

• Archangel Gabriel is asked for help in any difficult issues, in the need to make a difficult decision.
• Knowing about the announcement of the birth of the long-awaited child to righteous Anna, believers ask Archangel Gabriel for conception.
• Archangel Gabriel is asked to guide a lost soul on the righteous path.
• About help with depression and despondency.