Archangel Gabriel Day in 2021, what they pray to the messenger of God for

Saints Michael and Gabriel are especially revered by believers; both archangels are at the head of angelic regiments.

The Holy Scriptures say that the seven highest angels always stand before God. Some interpreters believe that these are archangels and that it is about them that the Evangelist John the Theologian speaks about them in the book of Revelation:

“Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne” (Rev. 1:4). Their names are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel.

Icon of the Archangel Gabriel, 16th century; Wood, gesso, tempera Height 131 cm, width 59 cm Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art named after. Andrey Rublev

Gabriel is less famous compared to Michael, however, he is second only in number. Saint Demetrius of Rostov writes about this in the Lives of the Saints.

“If anyone asks: why God did not send to the Most Pure Virgin the first in rank of his angels - Michael, but the second after him - Gabriel, let it be known that these seven highest angels are all equal in dignity, and Michael is the first among them only in number. Each of them has a special ministry. Mikhail is the winner of adversaries; Gabriel is the messenger of the mysteries of God...”

Character 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. Prayers are offered to the archangels “for the coming sleep” and they are mentioned 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 mankind.

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Icon of the Archangel Gabriel
In addition, Gabriel in Judaism serves as the angel of death. 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 - Samael, 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 slayer of the monstrous Leviathan, a huge sea monster. In Christian mythology, the Archangel Gabriel conveys the secret knowledge of God to people. The Prophet Daniel, 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.

How to pray

Prayer to the Archangel Gabriel does not necessarily require following special canons or memorizing the text. It is important that it be sincere and come from the soul, and not be monotonously repeated without understanding the meaning.

Before asking for help, you need to pay attention to cleansing your thoughts and heart. To do this, you can wash your face and throw all the burdens of everyday life and negative thoughts out of your head, at least for a while.

To address Archangel Gabriel, it is not necessary to bear his name. This can also be done for relatives, especially if you need to ask the Lord for the baby, to give him talent and prosperity.

The image and legends of the Archangel Gabriel

According to the story told in the Bible, the righteous Zechariah, who became the father of John the Baptist, the Archangel Gabriel appeared 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 strikes Zechariah with muteness.

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Image of Archangel Gabriel
Zechariah's wife Elizabeth was a relative of the Virgin Mary. 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 a mediator between Allah and the prophet Muhammad, 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.

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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.

Legends attribute enormous growth to the angel: 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 Adam, and after man was expelled 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.

Let's sum it up

Archangel Gabriel is an important angel who has a special rank. That is why Christians hopefully turn to this saint for help. It is believed that his requests will definitely be heard by God, since the Lord especially honors this angel.

Mention of the Archangel Gabriel is found not only in Christianity. Judaism and Islam also enjoy the protection of this archangel, but in these faiths he is known by other names.

Prayer to Saint Gabriel has great power. In order to turn to him for help, you need to not think about everyday problems, concentrate on the meaning of the text, and delve into its meaning. Reading the prayer does not require memorization.

Women who want to get pregnant can contact Gabriel. Its help in creating a family, returning love, calming and consoling is also strong. In addition to the owner of this name himself, anyone who wishes good to the man Gabriel can pray, especially if he is still a baby. The celebration of the day of the Archangel Gabriel occurs three times a year.

By opening the soul to the sacraments of Christianity, a person receives faith in eternal life and the hope that the Creator is always with him. The light of his love illuminates the life path of a believer. By studying Christian literature, you can get answers to many everyday questions.

Archangel Gabriel 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 famous image of Gabriel is represented in the Annunciation scene in the painting of the same name by Leonardo da Vinci, 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 image of the character is present 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.

Interesting Facts

1. It is worth noting that in the past the archangel was depicted next to the saint whom he was guiding. Gabriel himself was dressed in rich clothes, often with a crown on his head and a scepter in his hands. Since the 15th century, it was more often depicted near the Virgin Mary, who became the queen of angels. Gabriel was one of her subordinates, in whose hands a lily appeared instead of royal symbols. The flower itself is a symbol of purity, purity and spirituality;
2. Some consider Gabriel to be a unique angel who is a woman - the only one in the higher realms. As evidence, they cite the story of how the archangel guided the protesting soul of the unborn baby and accompanied it throughout the pregnancy. However, the official religion still considers all angels and archangels to be asexual beings, and Gabriel is also depicted in icons as an androgynous youth;
3. In 1786, the sailing frigate “Archangel Gabriel” was launched in Arkhangelsk, with more than 40 cannons on board. It was included in the Baltic Fleet and participated in the Russo-Swedish War;
4. The meaning of the name “Gabriel” from ancient Hebrew is “Divine Warrior”;
5. Sorcerers can also pray to the Archangel, since their “profession” involves helping people and disseminating knowledge;
6. In the Byzantine tradition, there was a cult of only 2 archangels - Michael and Gabriel. Michael was revered more, and Gabriel was honored only in Nazareth, where a temple was dedicated to him. It is believed that the temple was erected on the spot where Gabriel announced the birth of Christ to Mary. However, in the 9th century, Gabriel had already received his holiday (April 8), and several texts were also dedicated to him;
7. Moreover, the first images of Gabriel date back to the 3rd century AD. They were found in the catacombs of Rome. On them the archangel is presented in the form of a young man without wings and a halo, in a simple tunic;
8. In Rus', the archangel was more “lucky”: they began to venerate him immediately after the people were baptized by Vladimir. Initially, Gabriel was even considered the patron saint of Kyiv. The veneration of the saint is evidenced by an entry in the Ipatiev Chronicle left in 1037: it said that Yaroslav the Wise, during the construction of the Golden Gate, prayed to the Mother of God and the Archangel Gabriel;
9. In Rus', the first church dedicated to the archangel appeared in Novgorod in 1413. Even earlier, at the end of the 12th century, a church was erected in the name of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary;
10. In the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin in Moscow, one of the chapels is dedicated to the archangel.

Archangel Gabriel in films

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. In the mystical thriller "Prophecy" the Archangel Gabriel is the main character. The role is played by actor Christopher Walken. 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.

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Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary
In the 2004 film Van Helsing, God sends Gabriel into the human world to deal with Count Dracula, the first vampire on Earth. Along the way, the hero loses his memory and begins to consider himself a man - Van Helsing, 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 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 actress Tilda Swinton, 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 - the son of Lucifer - to turn the Earth into Hell.

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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 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 actor Andy Whitfield. 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 prankster 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.

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Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel
In the fifth season, Gabriel is killed, but the writers left a loophole in the plot so that if necessary, the hero could be returned. 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 2010, the fantasy action movie Legion was released - 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 2014, a film with a similar plot, “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 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.

Meaning of a boy's name

Early childhood:

In childhood and adolescence, Gavrik was a quiet, goofy guy, as they say, a mama’s boy.

Teenager:

During his student years, the character changes dramatically: the guy becomes a ringleader, a leader, a common favorite. He perceives the field of life as a battle, dragging along the most inert people. However, over time it turns out that Ghanya’s main goal is his own career. For the sake of money and the blessings of life, he is ready to sacrifice a lot, which ultimately pushes his former friends away from him. Being an excellent psychologist, Gabriel easily gains the trust of people and certainly occupies high positions in power structures.

Adult:

He is a leader, rationalist, selfish, but treats people well, has an analytical mind, will think first and then act. The guy does not impose his opinion, but also does not like instructions on what and how to do. Patient, difficult to get along with people, but easy to part with. Hospitable, kind.

He, born in winter, is flexible, but does not give in to influence; after listening to advice, he will do it his own way. He hides his experiences under the mask of external calm. He is a good family man, a demanding but affectionate father. Children love him. A man with this name is a passionate collector of antiques, paintings, and stamps. Born in spring, Gabriel never panics, is a little stubborn, and has a penchant for foreign languages.

Angels of the grave

Those people who do not believe or have not decided on their faith, who want to sit on two chairs, will also be protected by the angels, like everyone else, and protected by them. Their cases will also be recorded. When their death comes and they still do not believe, do not understand the postulates of faith and do not decide on what is the only valuable and important thing, do not realize the incomprehensibility of God and His uniqueness, the attitude of the angels towards such unbelievers, atheists, hypocrites and pagans will change dramatically .

It is said that angels will kill such people, accompanying their death with blows to the back and face with metal clubs, and their outcome will be disastrous, due to the fact that they tirelessly followed in their lives deeds that cause the Wrath of God, although in the earthly world they had the right of choice, using which they chose a sinful path and a bad fate, committing vicious acts, neglecting the pleasure of God, turning away from the path of faith and piety. And all their good deeds that they did in their lives will be destroyed by the Lord because they lived their lives without faith, without observing the tenets of God, and all the bright glimpses of their good deeds will be overshadowed by the darkness of sins. The bold point at the end of their path will be the lack of faith - this point will cross out all their hopes for salvation.

It is said that there are no one more sinners than those who invent slander or lies against God, who talk about receiving Divine Revelation without receiving anything, and who have the courage to claim that they will send down the Holy Scriptures similar to what God sent down. The condition of such atheists, “brave” sinners, tyrants who oppressed others or themselves, will be deplorable and terrible - they will agonize in the abyss of pain that will take possession of them at the moment of death, when the soul is separated from the body. Then the angels will exclaim with outstretched hands: “Bring out your souls!”, But the soul will not want to leave the body, and then they will begin to forcibly tear the soul out of living matter. And at this moment such people will be rewarded with humiliating punishments for all the lies they told about God, for their arrogance and arrogance before the signs of God.

Bearers of the Throne of God

There is a special category of close heavenly angels who carry the Throne of God. It is known about the Heavenly Throne of the Almighty that it is the greatest creation of the Lord, and our Earth, together with all the heavens, in comparison with the Heavenly Throne of the Almighty, is just a ring that is thrown in the middle of the desert. Those angels who are next to the Heavenly Throne glorify the Creator with gratitude, they are bearers of faith, and they turn to the Almighty with a prayer for forgiveness of the sins of believers who have repented and followed God's path, with a request for the protection of believers from hellish torment.

As Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, he was allowed to tell his companions and followers about a group of angels carrying the Throne of God. Each of these angels between the shoulder and earlobe has a distance equal to seven hundred years of travel - this is the time it would take in the earthly world to overcome this distance, but this is just one of the angels, who is God’s creation, and there are countless of them. The Prophet ﷺ said this so that people would not try to fit into their minds, which, although it was created perfect, remains limited, the idea of ​​the Creator of the worlds.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 4

(same as to Archangel Michael)

Heavenly armies of the Archangel, / we always pray to you, unworthy, / that with your prayers protect us / with the blood of your immaterial glory, / preserving us, who fall diligently and cry those who are:/ deliver us from troubles, // as the chief of the highest Powers.

Kontakion, tone 8

Blessed and Honest, and Omnipotent, / the most innumerable and terrible Trinity, / you are, Archangel, glorious servant and prayer book, / now pray unceasingly / to deliver us from all sorts of evils d and torment, let us call you: Rejoice, protection of your servant.

In Kontakion, voice 2

In Heaven in vain God’s glory / and on earth from on high giving grace, / to the chief of the Angels, the wise Gabriel, God’s glory to the servant / and peace Divine champion, / save, keep those who cry You yourself be a helper, and no one else is for us.

In Kontakion, voice 2

(same as to Archangel Michael)

Archangel of God,/ servant of the Divine glory,/ leader of angels and teacher of men,/ ask us for what is useful and great mercy,// like the bodiless Archangel.

Kontakion, tone 2

Archangel of God, servant of Divine glory, ruler of angels and mentor of men, ask for what is useful to us and great mercy, like the bodiless Archangel.

Guardian angels

Another category of angels who can constantly be with a person are guardian angels. They are, as the Koran says, behind a person and in front of him, remaining invisible like a spirit, and replace each other. A person is protected by a certain number of guardian angels during the day, while others guard him at night, protecting him from everything and everyone by order of the Almighty.

Angels are with any person - this does not depend on whether the person is a believer or not: everyone who comes into this world enjoys the benefits that Allah has given to humanity, and God gives everyone guardian angels who protect and will protect in the future according to the command of the Creator in accordance with the Divine Plan and His wisdom. The Holy Book of the Koran says that there is no soul in the world that does not have a guardian angel. But guardian angels can retreat from a person if he is in danger of trouble, which is sent to him at the behest of the Almighty as punishment for something or as a test. Guardian angels are located near the person under their care in pairs: one is in front of the person, and the other is behind him, and this pair is replaced by another pair: one pair is near him during the day, and the other at night.

Wings of Angels

Angels have wings - there can be two, three, four, or more. God can exaggerate what He wills in His creation because the Creator is capable of creating whatever He wills, and human consciousness cannot even imagine the magnitude of God's creation.

The hadith cites a case when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was lucky enough to see the Archangel Gabriel - who had six hundred wings, and between each pair of wings the distance was the size between east and west, sunrise and sunset.