Fr. Sergei, Ivo, and Lasha in front of the body of St. Gabriel
Throughout the Orthodox communion, one of the most beloved Georgian saints is St. Gabriel Urgebadze, and this love is especially strong among the faithful of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. It is not uncommon for the Orthodox in Bulgaria to know about St. Gabriel Urgebadze, whose biography has been translated into Bulgarian, and for pilgrimages to be made to Georgia. In addition to this, in Church stores throughout Bulgaria, it is common to find holy oil and printed icons of this saint imported from the Samtavro Convent. Because of this strong devotion to St. Gabriel, it was recognized by the parishioners of the Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God in Sofia that an icon of St. Gabriel with a relic would be highly beneficial for the spiritual life of the Orthodox faith not only within Bulgaria but throughout the Balkans.
Icon of St Gabriel Urgebadze at the Assumption Church
Outside of the Assumption Church
Previously, the only icon of St. Gabriel Urgebadze with a relic located in Bulgaria was at the historically Georgian (now Bulgarian) Bachkovo Monastery, roughly two hours from Sofia. Through the joint efforts of an acolyte from the St. George Church in Tbilisi,1 three of the faithful from the Assumption Church (Fr. Sergei, Ivo, and Borislav Milanov), Shalva Vashalomidze (Holy Orthodox Order of St. George),2 Lasha Kintsurashvili (St. John the Theologian Iconographers Brotherhood),3 and the sisterhood of the Samtavro Convent, this dream became a reality.
Fr. Sergei and Ivo at the St. Demetrios Monastery
Fr. Sergei and Ivo bringing the icon back to Sofia
Fr. Sergei and Ivo took a special pilgrimage from Sofia to Tbilisi to pick up the icon and visit the major holy sites within Georgia to further bolster their spiritual connection to Georgia. In the time since the icon's arrival in Sofia, the Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God has become a pilgrimage site. One example of a pilgrim who recently came to venerate this icon is Mother Julitta from the St. Nicholas Monastery (near Rila Monastery), who traveled over 100 km (62 miles). Moreover, two miracles have been noted since the arrival of this icon in Sofia in May of 2022—the healing of one women with stage three cancer, and one woman suffering from a severally injured foot. Lastly, it is hoped that this icon will help to further bolster the spiritual life of this parish which operates the only Orthodox kindergarten in Sofia and is located within one of the most impoverished areas in Sofia.
Orthodox Kindergarten
Playground of the Kindergarten
Troparion
As the Master Christ hid His divinity, clothing it in humanity, and, unseen by us, brought into being His ineffable glory, likewise didst thou hide thy glory by means of foolishness, and by the wonder of thy confession wast shown forth as a shepherd of souls; O venerable Father Gabriel, entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls.
Kontakion
Immeasurable is the mercy of God, by Whose goodness we behold His creation divinized O venerable father, thou didst confirm in thyself the image of thy Creator and exalted thy being to the likeness of God, therefore we glorify thee O Father Gabriel, for thou art worthy of all praise, thou wast on earth a trumpet of righteousness, a preacher of love and dove of purity, and thine all-wondrous humility hast opened to the world a treasury of wisdom, and now in heaven art thou, the advocate of God’s mercy and our salvation.
