Archangel Gabriel

The Holy Archangel Gabriel is the great Messenger of God, the herald of the divine mysteries, and the angel of the Annunciation. His name in Hebrew means "God is my strength." He is one of the chief Archangels and stands before the throne of God as one of the foremost of the Bodiless Powers.

Archangel Gabriel appears throughout Holy Scripture as the bearer of God's most sacred messages: he appeared to the Prophet Daniel to explain the visions of the end times, to the priest Zechariah to announce the birth of Saint John the Baptist, and most gloriously, to the Most Holy Theotokos in Nazareth to announce the Incarnation of the Son of God — the event celebrated as the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25.

In Orthodox iconography, Archangel Gabriel is often depicted bearing a lily — a symbol of purity — or a staff, and is shown in the act of announcing the Good News to the Virgin Mary. He is invoked as a messenger, a protector of those who bear God's word, and an intercessor for all who seek divine guidance. His feast day is November 8, the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and All the Bodiless Powers, and also March 26, the day after the Annunciation. Browse our handcrafted Orthodox icons and devotional items honoring Archangel Gabriel, made in our Ohio workshop using traditional Byzantine embroidery techniques.