Orthodox believers today celebrate the feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel, also known as Summer Aranđelovdan. Although this holiday is not marked with a red letter in the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) calendar, the church still gives it great importance and celebrates it as the Announcer who foretold and participated in all significant events related to the emergence of Christianity.
Archangel Gabriel is a living bodiless force and one of the seven seraphim closest to God’s throne. He participated in God’s creation of the world and in the fight against “fallen” angels, led by evil itself, Satan.
Archangel Gabriel conveyed the testimony of the beginning of God’s creation to the prophet Moses, appearing to him in the desert and instructing him how to write the Book of Genesis. He is celebrated as the angel Announcer responsible for joyful or good news, as well as the one who announced to Zechariah the birth of John the Forerunner of Christ – Saint John the Baptist.
Saint Archangel Gabriel appeared to Joachim and Anna, thereby announcing the birth of the Most Holy Theotokos Mary, and then he appeared to her with the news that she would give birth to a son, the savior of mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The image of the angel Gabriel is painted with the Most Holy Theotokos Mary, who receives the Annunciation, on the royal doors of Orthodox altars, which symbolically open during the liturgy because this event opened the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. The greatest and most joyous news in Christianity announced by the Announcer is the news of Christ’s Resurrection.
This saint is a symbol of the goodness of all humanity. The icon of the White Angel was sent into space in 1977 as part of the Voyager program, when the first satellite image was sent into the cosmos as a symbol of human greeting to another cosmic race, if it exists, since Saint Gabriel is also a universal symbol of love, peace, and joy in humanity.
The fresco was also chosen by UNICEF as a symbol of Europe, and it is located in the medieval Mileševa Monastery. It was declared the picture of the past millennium.
The Best Day for a New Beginning
This holiday is known among the people as Summer Aranđelovdan, and numerous customs are associated with it. For those who respect the faith, all work is forbidden on that day. Girls do not do handicrafts, do not sew or knit, and a common belief among the people is that this is the best day for a new beginning.
It is believed that this summer holiday was established on Mount Athos in the 9th century, during the time of Emperors Basil and Constantine Porphyrogenitus and Patriarch Nicholas (Chrysoberges) after the appearance of Archangel Gabriel in one of the Karyes cells, who inscribed the hymn to the Theotokos “It is Truly Meet” with his finger on a stone.
Gabriel is the first, alongside Archangel Michael, who leads the army of angels and forces of good, followed in honor by Raphael, Uriel, Selathiel, Jegudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel.
The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel is also celebrated on April 8, or March 26 according to the Julian calendar, when the SPC celebrates his appearances throughout the history of human salvation.
Saint Archangel Gabriel, who is a frequently celebrated saint, is prayed to by infertile women, as it is believed that he brings gentle and good news. The people consider him a protector of people and livestock from bad weather.
According to tradition, Archangel Gabriel was on the Moon for some time. Once he landed on Earth and drank water from a devil’s spring. The devil chased him, caught him on the Moon, pulled him with a comb, and hooked his sole. Since then, people have arched soles.
Source: Telegraf Photo: crkvenikalendar.com