An American of Thai origin, Orthodox catechumen Steven Skarina, sent us this story of his own miracles related to the Georgian saint, Gabriel (Urgebadze).
With my icon of St. Gabriel from St. Elisabeth’s Convent in Belarus
My first miracle involving Saint Gabriel unfolded over an extended period. St. Gabriel became extremely important to me as I was studying Orthodoxy before becoming a catechumen. I would constantly talk about St. Gabriel, often telling people at my church about him whenever they saw me bringing an icon to an usher for a blessing.
One of my friends noticed this deep love for St. Gabriel, as he also has a great affinity for the Saint. He repeatedly asked me, “Are you choosing to have St. Gabriel as your patron saint? If you choose St. Gabriel, I have some relics to give to you.” Since I was only inquiring about Orthodoxy at the time, I was confused; I didn’t know you could have relics. Nevertheless, he would constantly remind me of this, making sure I was firm in my devotion to St. Gabriel.
After multiple delays, my girlfriend and I, along with many others from our Antiochian parish in Grand Rapids, Michigan, were finally scheduled to be made catechumens on February 23rd. That day, Bishop John Abdalah of Worcester taught a class on marriage, which my girlfriend and I attended. He also stayed for the following Sunday Divine Liturgy and enrolled the catechumens.
We became Catechumens that morning, bringing many friends from our Protestant college to witness the day, as it meant so much to us. After the Divine Liturgy, I sought out my friend. He revealed that he was leaving our church to go to seminary, but as promised, he gave me a ladanka (incense vessel) containing soil from St. Gabriel’s grave.
I had previously learned about these blessed items, and it was this very ladanka I was looking for. Because it is so difficult to acquire in the United States—only one website that makes frequent mission trips to Georgia and other Orthodox countries stocks them—I had been unable to purchase it online as it was out of stock. My friend explained that the nuns in Georgia had given it to him during a visit there. I believe that St. Gabriel knew I was searching for this ladanka, and in a mysterious way came all the way from Georgia to the United States so I could receive this gift personally from him.
However, before leaving, my friend also warned me that now, as catechumens, we would face intense and stronger demonic oppression—they want to stop us from becoming Orthodox. This leads to my next story.
I recently graduated from college, completing my final internship course in August. During this internship, I was required to complete fifty hours in church services, but I knew I couldn’t meet all the required hours at my parish alone. With permission from my Church supervisor, I attended other services at local parishes (usually other than the Sunday Divine Liturgy). This allowed me to discover many wonderful churches, one of which was a Moscow Patriarchate church.
I had only known about Russian churches in places like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, having visited my family in Thailand with my girlfriend prior to my internship. We only knew that Russian churches typically have no pews and that the Divine Liturgy is slightly longer than at our Antiochian parish, but the customs are more or less the same.
When we arrived at this small church in Grand Rapids—which looks like a house until you see the roof—we were careful to be respectful of the customs. We attended the moleben service on a Tuesday. Entering the church, I was immediately struck by the interior beauty, including the iconostasis with icons painted by a Georgian iconographer. Then, on the wall, I saw a small, framed, printed icon of St. Gabriel. My heart was instantly warmed, and I knew St. Gabriel was very present in this church.
On another occasion, I purchased an icon of St. Gabriel from their church store, and both the priest and deacon noticed my great love for him. Before leaving Grand Rapids, I even gifted the priest from this church a triptych of St. Gabriel, along with a card expressing my thanks for how his parish had spiritually benefited me (I also gave one to the priest at the parish we regularly attended).
After my internship I returned home, which was three hours away on the other side of the state. I went from attending church at least four times a week to only once a week on Sunday. I loved my internship, but moving from home left me feeling sad. Furthermore, I began to suffer spiritually, especially struggling with my existing depression.
But God, in His mercy, gave me an opportunity to return to Grand Rapids from October 24th until November 3rd. Although I had been back a month earlier, it was only for a very brief visit. This time I had an eleven-day visit, giving me plenty of time. My girlfriend and I had initially planned to take trip with her friends, but those plans did not come to pass.
Nevertheless, I told her I wanted to return to the Russian church before we left, as I dearly missed that parish. On Saturday night, November 1st, I prayed an Akathist to St. Raphael of Brooklyn, who is not only a great Antiochian saint but is also revered in the Russian Church.
The next day, on Sunday, November 2, St. Gabriel’s feast day arrived. I was aware it was his feast day that morning and was looking forward to praying his Akathist the entire day, but I was not aware that the Russian church we were attending would be celebrating his feast day! I was greeted by St. Gabriel’s icon—which was now off the wall and placed on the analogion—and I was rejoicing in my heart. Seeing everyone, including the little children, venerate his icon brought me immense joy. We asked for his intercession and heard his story in both English and Russian during the Liturgy before Communion.
During the coffee hour, I spoke with the priest and the deacon. They remarked to me that my coming on this day was no coincidence, but was ordained by God. The deacon especially remembered everything I had told him when purchasing the icon of St. Gabriel from their church store. I also realized, during the Divine Liturgy, that every time I had come to this parish, St. Gabriel was always there, and his icon warmly greeted me. I know St. Gabriel was present and interceding to God for me.
A dear friend of mine, who actually introduced me to Orthodoxy, once called me “Gabriel.” He always prays for me to St. Gabriel with the icon I gifted him, and that morning, he prayed the Akathist as I asked him. Again, this is no coincidence.
Later that Sunday evening, my girlfriend and I prayed the Akathist to St. Gabriel and venerated a small icon I had of him, which contained his holy soil. This day was so significant for me; it renewed the faith I needed to pray and to again worship and give glory to God.
St. Gabriel, before his repose, promised that he would be with those praying, offering their prayers to God. I haven’t yet met St. Gabriel face-to-face as have many others, but I know he is interceding for me and guiding me further into the Orthodox faith.
