Mt. Athos, December 24, 2019
unian.net
Prayers are again being requested for Elder Gabriel of Karyes on Mt. Athos, a disciple of the great St. Paisios the Athonite.
According to a message on the † Афон † Ἁγίου Ὄρους † Mount Athos † Facebook page, Elder Gabriel underwent a surgery yesterday at St. Panteleimon’s Monastery to have a tumor removed from his face.
Prayers were previously requested for the Elder in August, when it was reported that he was suffering greatly from shingles. His health has deteriorated over the past several months and he has stopped receiving visitors at his cell.
Elder Gabriel is himself one of the most beloved modern elders. He has labored for many years in the cell of St. Christodoulos of Koutloumousiou Monastery, near Karyes, the capital of Mt. Athos, where countless pilgrims would come to get his blessing and hear a word unto their salvation.
Elder Gabriel was among the 12 who addressed the Sacred Community of Mt. Athos in defense of the canonical Ukrainian Church, in protest of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s anti-canonical actions there.
In October, he wrote his own strongly-worded open letter to Patriarch Bartholomew, condemning his abuse and neglect of the sacred canons and Orthodox dogmas, both with regards to Ukraine and to his general ecumenistic disposition.
