Venerable Gabriel Urgebadze

Gabriel of Georgia (Georgian: წმიდა გაბრიელ ქართველი, romanized: ts'mida gabriel kartveli), born Goderdzi Urgebadze (გოდერძი ურგებაძე; 26 August 1929 – 2 November 1995) was a Georgian Orthodox monk venerated for his dedicated monastic life and piety. With many miracles ascribed to him, Gabriel's grave in Mtskheta has attracted an increasing number of pilgrims. The Georgian Orthodox Church officially canonized him as Holy Father Saint Gabriel, Confessor and Fool for Christ (წმ. ღირსი მამა გაბრიელი აღმსარებელი-სალოსი; Ts'm. ghirs mama gabrieli aghmsarebeli-salosi), on 20 December 2012. Goderdzi Urgebadze was born in Tiflis on 26 August 1929. He was baptized in infancy in the Church of Great Martyr Barbara in Navtlugi. His father, Vasili Urgebadze, was killed under unknown circumstances when the boy was two, and the family later called him "Vasiko" in memory of his father. He started school at the age of six and first heard the name of Christ at seven. He saved money and bought a Gospel. During communist persecutions, people hid icons in attics and other secret places; Goderdzi asked them to give him the icons if they no longer needed them. These icons are now preserved in the church he built and in the tower of the women’s monastery of Samtavro. His mother, Varvara Urgebadze, although not irreligious, forbade him to lead a religious life. She later became a nun named Anna and is buried in the courtyard of Samtavro Monastery beside her son. Because of her prohibitions, he left home and made pilgrimages to the monasteries of Samtavro, Svetitskhoveli, Shio-Mgvime, Zedazeni and Betania. The monks of Betania became his beloved spiritual mentors. After graduating from school, he was drafted into the Soviet Army in 1949. During his service in Batumi, he secretly fasted and attended services at St. Nicholas Church. Returning from the army in the 1950s, he devoted himself more seriously to spiritual life.