{"id":"st-gabriel-archangel","name":"St. Gabriel the Archangel","title":"Messenger of God","knownFor":"Divine Messenger of the Incarnation","feastDay":"September 29","lifespan":"N/A (Angelic Being)","patronOf":"Messengers, Telecommunications Workers, Postal Workers","shortBio":"One of the three named archangels in Scripture, Gabriel is God's chief messenger who announced the Incarnation to Mary and appeared to Daniel, Zechariah, and Joseph.","fullBio":"St. Gabriel is one of the three archangels named in Scripture (along with Michael and Raphael). His name means \"God is my strength\" or \"Strength of God.\" As God's chief messenger, Gabriel plays a pivotal role in salvation history.\n\nIn the Old Testament, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions about the coming of the Messiah. He is described as having the appearance of a man but moving with supernatural speed and power.\n\nGabriel's most significant role comes in the New Testament. He appears to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist, striking him mute when he doubts. Six months later, Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary in Nazareth, announcing that she would conceive the Son of God through the Holy Spirit - the Annunciation.\n\nChurch tradition also attributes to Gabriel the appearance to St. Joseph in dreams, the announcement to the shepherds of Christ's birth, and the strengthening of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is often depicted with a lily (symbol of the Annunciation) or a trumpet (for the Last Judgment).","miracles":["Announced the Incarnation to the Virgin Mary","Revealed prophecies to Daniel about the Messiah","Announced John the Baptist's birth to Zechariah","Appeared to St. Joseph in dreams","Strengthened Jesus in Gethsemane (tradition)","Will blow the trumpet at the Last Judgment (tradition)"],"imageUrl":"https://page.gensparksite.com/v1/base64_upload/3028d2154ab0f8be4c4abd8ff3f9edc1","imageAttribution":"The Annunciation (detail of Gabriel) by Fra Angelico (c. 1430-1432). Museo del Prado, Madrid. Tempera on panel","orderByDate":0}