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Great Art Thou, O Lord!
Published with the blessing of Georgian Patriarch Ilia, this first book in English about this greatly loved Orthodox saint opens a vivid window to St. Gabriel's life and spiritual vigor. St. Gabriel's remarkable ascetic life is revealed through the intimate recollections of his family and friends. Born in 1929 in the Soviet Republic of Georgia, St. Gabriel fervently pursued the spiritual life under the guidance of holy elders. He famously rebuked the idolatry of the godless civil authorities, setting fire to a massive banner of Lenin at a public celebration. Since he reposed in 1995, his veneration has grown rapidly both in Georgia and abroad, boosted by countless miracles such as those worked by his jacket, which healed a fourteen-year-old boy of a brain aneurysm and which continues to heal many. This soft cover, 236-page book is richly illustrated, with a special, 8-page, full-color insert of photographs as well as numerous black and white photos throughout the text.
236 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 6, 2025
Just awesome.
August 8, 2025
My patron saint! A wonderful documenting of the grace-filled life of St. Gabriel Urgebadze of Georgia. Complete with imprisonment, torture, insane asylums, holy foolishness, prophecy, clairvoyance, miracles, and teachings. An incredible modern saint who showed people the life of Christ through his own. As one interviewee said "When a person visited him, whether he sat beside him or at a distance, Father Gabriel could affect him, as though clearing out of him all that was bad and bringing in what was good. He could alter a person's fate." He certainly could! He's altered mine and may it be the will of God that he alters yours. Saint Gabriel, pray for us!
April 23, 2025
Words can not describe the stories told of Fr Gabriel. One must experience the beauty, pain, sorrow, and joy of this extraordinary Saint’s life through not only reading about it but also by praying! A must read for anyone, especially those in the Holy Orthodox faith! Saint Gabriel Confessor and Fool for Christ pray for us!
December 4, 2024
“A good person is not one who does good works, but rather one who is incapable of doing evil.”
“The Lord only hears your prayers when you yourself hear and understand them.”
“Better to be a hundred times a fornicator than to convert to a strange faith.”
“The Lord only hears your prayers when you yourself hear and understand them.”
“Better to be a hundred times a fornicator than to convert to a strange faith.”
August 31, 2026
I’m going to have to agree with another reviewer on here, Just awesome! Glory to God for the life of Monk Gabriel. This book is easily an 11/10
May 29, 2025
Modern Love
This book gives us a good view of St. Gabriel's life, from several viewpoints of people who knew him. There is also a selection of his teachings. Rounded out by a brief sequential biography, this is a valuable portrait of a contemporary saint.
This book gives us a good view of St. Gabriel's life, from several viewpoints of people who knew him. There is also a selection of his teachings. Rounded out by a brief sequential biography, this is a valuable portrait of a contemporary saint.
September 19, 2026
A beautiful example of a life of a modern day saint. This book is the perfect length. Describing Saint Gabriel's life from birth until his repose in the first part of the book, then transitioning into the sayings of Saint Gabriel.
I borrowed this book from my son's Godfather. My son is named Gabriel, after the archangel primarily, but secondarily after this Saint. He's only 18 months old, but I plan on teaching him he has both an Angel praying and interceding for him, as well as a saint. I am so happy and proud that I will be able to teach my son such a commendable saint from such recent times.
Saint Gabriel, along with a few others such as Saint Paisios and Saint Silouan, was one of the spiritual giants of the 20th century. His closeness to God was exemplified from the time he was a little child. Born Goderdzi Urgebadz, and called Vasiko after the death of his father.
Most people stray away from God with age, Gabriel only grew closer to him. To the level that even when he was living, many people already knew his saintliness. It took less than 20 years after his repose for him to be officially canonized by The Orthodox Church. A very short amount of time compared to most other saints.
He was a Man of God and of the people. He stood up for the truth no matter the personal consequences during a time when Christianity was under intense persecution by the communists. He was labeled clinically insane by the people who truly were insane. He was tortured physically and mentally. All of which you can read about in this book.
When living amongst us mortals, Saint Gabriel was a very wise, brave, strange, and loving person. He is now amongst his peers in the presence of the most Holy Trinity for eternity. May his prayers for us lowly sinners be heard and may we take his life as an inspiration and encouragement for us all. He is proof that even in these evil times, Christ is still with us and is performing the same miracles as he did when he walked among us as The Man-God, aka The Theanthropos. Saint Gabriel, pray to God for us!
I borrowed this book from my son's Godfather. My son is named Gabriel, after the archangel primarily, but secondarily after this Saint. He's only 18 months old, but I plan on teaching him he has both an Angel praying and interceding for him, as well as a saint. I am so happy and proud that I will be able to teach my son such a commendable saint from such recent times.
Saint Gabriel, along with a few others such as Saint Paisios and Saint Silouan, was one of the spiritual giants of the 20th century. His closeness to God was exemplified from the time he was a little child. Born Goderdzi Urgebadz, and called Vasiko after the death of his father.
Most people stray away from God with age, Gabriel only grew closer to him. To the level that even when he was living, many people already knew his saintliness. It took less than 20 years after his repose for him to be officially canonized by The Orthodox Church. A very short amount of time compared to most other saints.
He was a Man of God and of the people. He stood up for the truth no matter the personal consequences during a time when Christianity was under intense persecution by the communists. He was labeled clinically insane by the people who truly were insane. He was tortured physically and mentally. All of which you can read about in this book.
When living amongst us mortals, Saint Gabriel was a very wise, brave, strange, and loving person. He is now amongst his peers in the presence of the most Holy Trinity for eternity. May his prayers for us lowly sinners be heard and may we take his life as an inspiration and encouragement for us all. He is proof that even in these evil times, Christ is still with us and is performing the same miracles as he did when he walked among us as The Man-God, aka The Theanthropos. Saint Gabriel, pray to God for us!
May 28, 2024
Just when I thought I couldn't possibly HIGHLY recommend another book....a literal DO NOT MISS. An extremely precious Saint that we all must know! St Gabriel pray for us!
January 30, 2026
St. Gabriel, pray for us!
September 4, 2026
The interviews say a lot of the same things and get alightly monotonous, but the book isn't that long and the lessons are quite good. I appreciate the citations, accuracy, and writing style.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews