Hieromartyr Gabriel, Patriarch of Serbia

Life

In the terrible time of Turkish rule over Serbia, this great hierarch went to Russia, where he participated in the Council of Moscow in the year 1655. Returning, he was accused as a traitor. In addition, certain evil Jews brought a charge against him because he had converted several Jews to the Christian Faith. In their accusation the Jews alleged that he was working to baptize Turks, so as to embitter the Turkish authorities all the more. Brought to trial, he was condemned to accept the Muslim faith. But as Gabriel would not even hear of this, after imprisonment he was condemned to death and hanged in Bursa in the year 1659. And thus he went to his beloved Christ, to receive from Him a double crown, both as hierarch and as martyr.