UOC Priest: St. Gabriel of Georgia Healed Ukrainian Soldier

St. Gabriel of Georgia. Photo: orthodoxcityhermit.com

MTSKHETA — St. Gabriel (Urgebadze) of Georgia appeared to a Ukrainian soldier who had been unable to speak for nearly a year after a concussion and healed him. This was reported by Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) Archpriest Georgiy Kunytsky, who is currently in Georgia with a pilgrimage group.

According to the priest, the miracle took place at Samtavro Monastery on the feast day of St. Gabriel on Sunday. Among the pilgrims was a Ukrainian serviceman who had been severely wounded on the front lines. The soldier lost a leg and had been unable to speak for nearly a year due to a concussion.

“Yesterday, during Vespers, this soldier, already exhausted, was granted to see Venerable Gabriel, who came to him and said, ‘Rise and speak.’ And at that moment his mouth was opened, and he began to speak — to his own joy and amazement, and to the glory of God!” said Archpriest Georgiy Kunytsky.

The priest noted that after the service, the healed soldier could not stop sharing his joy, while everyone present wept and thanked St. Gabriel for the miracle.

“What happened moved our hearts deeply — it is an indescribable joy to be here, in Samtavro, and to rejoice in such a miracle that we ourselves witnessed,” emphasized Fr. Georgiy.

On the saint’s feast day, the pilgrims had the honor of concelebrating in the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos at Samtavro Monastery with the blessing of His Holiness Ilia II, Patriarch of Georgia.

Venerable Gabriel (Urgebadze) of Samtavro (1929–1995) was a Georgian monk and miracle-worker canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 2012. His relics rest in the Convent of St. Nino in Mtskheta.

Previously, UOJ reported that the traditional procession dedicated to the commemoration of St. Gabriel took place in Georgia.

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