THE SYNAXIS OF THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL (Part II)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE SYNAXIS OF THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL (Part II)

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone

SUPREME Commander of the Hosts of the Heavens, we, the unworthy,
importune and beseech thee that by thy supplications thou encircle us
in the shelter of the wings of thine immaterial glory, guarding us who
now fall down and cry to thee with fervour: Deliver us from dangers of
all kinds, as the Great Marshal of the heavenly Hosts on High.

Kontakion Hymn. Second Tone

SUPREME Commander of God and Minister of the Divine glory, guide
of men and Leader of the Bodiless Hosts: Ask for what is to our profit
and for the great mercy, since thou art Supreme Commander of the
bodiless Hosts.

The most holy, and sacred, and gifted theologian, Dionysios Areopagite, writes, "these essences are divided INTO THREE GROUPS, EACH CONTAINING THREE ORDERS. And the First Group, he says, consists of those who are in God’s presence and are said to be directly and immediately one with Him, namely, THE SERAPHIM with their six wings, the many-eyed CHERUBIM, and those that sit in the holiest THRONES. The Second Group and last, is that of the PRINCIPALITIES, AND ARCHANGELS, AND ANGELS…

"But those who say that the Angels are creators of any kind of essence whatever are the mouth of their father, the devil. For since THEY ARE CREATED THINGS THEY ARE NOT CREATORS. But He Who creates and provides for and maintains all things is God, Who ALONE IS UNCREATE AND IS PRAISED AND GLORIFIED IN THE Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Saint Gregory Palamas informs us that "although the Angels are superior to us in many ways…yet in some respects they are below us… For example, we, in a greater measure than they, have been created in the image of God." Saint Gregory also asks, "Which of the Angels can imitate the Passion and death of the Lord as it has been imitated by man?" He then says, that "the Angelic nature is endowed both with the intellect and with the word which proceeds from the intellect and may be called spirit, but this spirit is not life-giving, since it has not been joined to a earthly body and has not therefore received the power to give and to sustain life. Whereas, the intellectual and rational nature of the soul, alone endowed with INTELLECT AND WORD AND WITH LIFE-GIVING POWER, HAS ALONE, MORE THAN THE ANGELS, BEEN CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE."

Since the Archangels receive the commands from the Most High, we see in icons THAT THERE ARE BANDS OR RIBBONS WINDING OR COILING FROM THEIR EARS. This is more than an adornment and hair restraint. IT IS ALSO A SIGN THAT THEY ARE UNDER AUTHORITY. Saint Gregory Palamas notes that "while the Angels are appointed to serve the Creator and have as their only mission to be under authority…man is foreordained NOT ONLY TO BE RULED, but TO RULE OVER ALL THAT WHICH IS ON EARTH. The clothing of the Archangels is similar to what military officers and high-ranking functionaries at the Byzantine Court would wear, such as the chitorn (tunic), lacerna (short-tunic), and chlamyde (military cloak or short mantle).

The Celestial Powers are like fire, like flame, like light, the appearance of which is terrifying for humans. They are divinized creatures, vehicles of the uncreated glory and secondary lights. "Illumined with effulgences past understanding and divinized in a sacred manner, thou, O Garbiel, standest in awe ministering before the throne of grace, and seen as light, thou dost illumine those who honor thee with faith, O sacred Gabriel, ARCHISTRATEGOS (Chief Commander)."

Despite the excellence of their nature, the oeconomy of thy mystery of the Incarnation of the Logos/Word was, according to Saint Paul, hidden from the ages in God, and "MADE KNOWN TO THE PRINCIPALITIES AND TO THE AUTHORITIES IN THE HEAVENLIES THROUGH THE CHURCH, according to the purpose of the ages which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord [Ephesians 3:9-11]. The Holy Apostle Peter concurs that these were things into which Angels desired to look (1 Peter 1:12]. Saint John Chrysostom says that "the Church enlightened Angels and Archangels and Principalities and Authorities. The much-variegated wisdom of God was made manifest to them; for they knew not these things.

The God-Man Jesus was raised "above every Principality and Authority and Power and Lordship, and every name which is named [Ephesians 1:21]," thus exalting the human nature which He had assumed, FORMING THE ONE CHURCH OF ANGELS AND MEN. The Virgin who has given birth to the Fire of the flaming ministering spirits, becomes THE FIRST PARTICIPANT OF DIVINITY AMONG ALL CREATURES. SHE IS MORE EMINENT THAN THE INCORPOREAL ARMIES AND SURPASSES THE CELESTIAL HIERARCHIES. SHE RECEIVES FROM THE ANGELS THE GLORY WHICH BELONGS TO HER.

The Archangel Gabriel also announced the future Incarnation of the Logos/Word to those in the Old Testament. He inspired the Prophet Moses to write the Book of Genesis. He also foretold coming tribulations to the Prophet Daniel and the time of the Messiah’s appearance [Daniel 8:16; 9:21-25]. He explained to Daniel the vision of the horned ram, as portending the destruction of the Persian Empire by the Macedonian Alexander the Great, after whose death the kingdom will be divided up among his generals, from one of whom will spring Antiochus Epiphanes [Daniel 8]. Then, after Daniel had prayed for Israel, we read that the man Gabriel, flying, swiftly touched Daniel and communicated to him the mysterious prophecy of the "SEVEN WEEKS" of years which should elapse before THE COMING OF CHRIST [Daniel 9].

He also appeared to the Virgin Mary’s mother, Anna, and announced the conception of a daughter when Anna was praying in the garden. The Archangel also visited the young Virgin Mary regularly when she lived in the Temple at Jerusalem. He continued to watch over her throughout her earthly sojourn. He appeared to the Priest Zacharias [Luke 1:19], the future father of Saint John the Baptist, and foretold the birth of the FORERUNNER OF THE LORD.

The name of the Archangel Gabriel is mentioned only twice in the New Testament, but it is not unreasonable to suppose with Christian tradition that it is he who appeared to Righteous Joseph, to the shepherds, and also to the Lord in the garden. Thus, many believe that the Archangel was dispatched to Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, appearing to him in a dream and telling him not to fear to take Mary his wife who shall bring forth the Son Whom Joseph was to name JESUS [Matthew 1:20-21]. When our Lord prayed in the Garden of GEthsemane before His Passion, it was the Archangel Gabriel, according to some, whose very name signifies "Man of God," who appeared to Jesus, strengthening Him [Luke 22:43]. He is also accounted to be that Angel who rolled away the stone from Christ’s tomb [Matthew 28:2], and announced the RESURRECTION to the Myrrh-bearers [Matthew 28:47; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6].

In the Archangel’s manifestations to us, there is simplicity and absence of terror which corresponds to his character AS A COMFORTER. In Christian Tradition, Gabriel is ever the Angel of CONSOLATION while MICHAEL is rather the Angel of JUDGMENT UPON GOD’S ENEMIES. Saint Prokos, Patriarch of Constantinople, interprets Gabriel’s name as meaning "God and man." In accordance with his name,therefore, "Gabriel," comments Proklos, "was most suited to minister in the mystery of the Divine Economy of the Incarnation of the God-Man. [Resources: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church]

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George