He is Gabriel bin Nicola bin Youssef Jabara. He was born in Damascus, the capital of Syria, on April 19, 1839. He received his education in the primary schools of Asia. At the age of ten, he was forced to leave school and learn the knitting profession to help his brother Joseph in weaving fabrics, but his passion for science made him devote himself at night to reading the Bible and the writings of the holy fathers. Such as Chrysostom, Damascus, and others.... At the age of twenty, he traveled to Jerusalem to continue his linguistic and religious studies. After his return, he formed an association in Damascus concerned with teaching the Arabic language, the rules of faith, and reading the Bible. It became the nucleus of the Society of Saint John of Damascus, and he persevered hard in leading it for five years with honesty and dedication.
During that time, the Arius heresy reappeared. One of the Orthodox youth in Damascus issued a book in which he denied the divinity of the Lord and claimed that the Bible was distorted. Gabriel had no choice but to confront him, refuting his opinions, relying on what Saint Athanasius the Great wrote in the First Ecumenical Council in 325 AD and on the book. Holy places during periodic meetings organized every Sunday in the home of a Christian.
His move to Latakia:
In 1867 AD, Metropolitan of Latakia, Meletius Al-Doumani, visited [1] Damascus. He was impressed by Gabriel's person, his activity, and his broad culture, so he asked him to come to Latakia to be a teacher of Arabic, Christian education, history, and geography at the Al-Rashidiyya Orthodox School in Latakia, and he agreed. Immediately upon his arrival, he began the work assigned to him and stayed in Al-Rashidiyah for twenty years, managing it with great care and unparalleled activity in nourishing souls with spiritual teachings and morals. He taught not only in word, but also in deed. His teaching was linked to charitable works, and the period of his administration was the golden age of the school, and many Orthodox figures graduated from it. Notable ones include Metropolitan Gerasimus Massara, Metropolitan of Beirut.
Gregory the Deacon, Priest and Archimandrite:
On March 25, 1872, Metropolitan Meletius ordained him an evangelical deacon and named him Gregory. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in 1884, he ordained him a priest. In early April 1885, he was promoted to the rank of archimandrite. Due to his activities, extensive scientific knowledge, and piety, the archdiocese appointed him as president of the Charitable Society in Latakia in October 1885. He spent his days in Education and teaching, and he spends the rest of his time visiting the sick and needy and consoling the grieving. He would retreat to his room to write archbishopric correspondence, spiritual publications, and church sermons. He carried out several reforms in the diocese and gave scholarships to many needy students, thus spreading the reputation of his virtue and true knowledge, which qualified him for the position of bishopric.
Promotion to the rank of metropolitan:
In 1886, Metropolitan of Hama, Germanus Ziot, fell asleep in the Lord. The people submitted a petition to the Patriarch asking Archimandrite Jabara as their shepherd. The Holy Synod of Antioch met on 12/23/1886 and elected Archimandrite Gregorius Jabara as Metropolitan of Hama.
In accordance with the wishes of the people of the city of Latakia, the elected police officer was appointed on the first Sunday of Lent, February 22, 1887, in the Cathedral of Saint Saba in Latakia. [2] Under the leadership of Patriarch Gerasimos and Archbishops Meletius (Latakia) and Gabriel (Beirut). At the end of the service, His Beatitude preached and provided the new bishop with his instructions. His Excellency responded with a speech in which he demonstrated the importance of the episcopate and its burdens. He thanked His Beatitude and His Eminence the Metropolitan of Latakia, his spiritual father, and he celebrated the Saturday and Sunday Masses in Latakia and bid farewell to its children. He wept and mourned for them.
His service in Hama:
His Eminence left Latakia for Hama on March 4, 1887, and he received an official and popular reception as usual. Since taking over the diocese, he sought to revive it from the stagnation it was experiencing, so he restored life to it by preaching, teaching, and organizing. He began building churches where necessary, and filling the deficiencies in the churches that had been destroyed before his election, by ordaining priests and providing church uniforms and utensils. He did not hesitate to help his children in their problems with the authorities in terms of relieving them of burdensome taxes and getting them out of prisons. He founded an association concerned with helping the poor, the Orthodox Adhud al-Faqir Association, which became the nucleus of the Lady Sisterhood currently in Hama, and another women’s association called the Nour al-Huda Association, which is concerned with helping orphan girls and training them in handicrafts. Bishop Gregory was known as a man of knowledge. He built four schools for boys and girls during his reign, which flourished and the number of students there increased. This continued until the reign of his late successor, Bishop Ignatius Harika, but after him it experienced a major setback and disappeared from life, with the exception of Nour Al-Huda Kindergarten.
His Eminence amazed the people of his parish with his austerity and asceticism in life, his contentment with little, and his spending the entire night in prayer and meditation. His Eminence spent a quarter of a century fighting the good fight with patience and dedication. The Triangle of Mercy was decided by His Beatitude Gregory IV Haddad, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East [3] Honoring him by holding a silver jubilee for him.
His writings:
His Eminence, as we said before, was a man of knowledge and knowledge, and he mastered Arabic and Greek, which facilitated his study of the Holy Bible and the writings of the holy fathers and their lives. He wrote the book Sunni Teachings, which consists of 18 chapters in which he discusses the Orthodox Christian doctrine, and he adopted the simple, easy and smooth language because his book was directed to all the people so that they could understand. Their faith [4] They delve deeply into it and make the truths of faith accessible to everyone. It is noted that he followed the scientific method in his book, and this indicates the high scientific level he has reached. His presentation of the doctrines indicates extensive biblical and patristic doctrinal knowledge and, of course, his true orthodoxy. Because of his extensive legal knowledge, he was the legal assistant to Patriarch Meletius in amending the Basic Law of the Patriarchate of Antioch.
His last year:
3/Eastern May/1919 Bishop Gregory oversaw the age of eighty years, and his old age began to hinder him in spiritual services. He asked His Beatitude the Patriarch to send him an agent in the diocese to assist him in the affairs of the spiritual court and other matters. His Holiness Archimandrite Nevin Saba was sent on August 13, 1920, and he asked the Holy Synod to exempt him from his duties. Participating in its sessions, and after discussions, the council decided to keep Bishop Gregory at the helm of the diocese and take care of him in the Archbishopric House.
We mention excerpts from what was written by Archimandrite Saba and Harika. The first says from the bishop’s mouth to his personal maid: “Poor you, Umm Burhan. Now I had a choir of saints, and their light was shining in the room, so extinguish the lamp because its light was weak...” and that he recalls his past and recites the laws with their melodies. As for the second, he says: “He spends his time reading the Holy Bible and praying. He asked me with interest about Your Beatitude and asked me to kiss your hands. I was impressed by this old age, crowned with patience, consolation, and peace of conscience, the best way to end the days of those who fear the Lord.” We find in their statements a hint of belief in his holiness.
Metropolitan Gregory Gebara passed away to his Lord on Wednesday, February 26, 1925 AD, at the age of 86 years. Then the agent, Archimandrite Niven, mourned him to the rest of the dioceses and invited them to pray for his repose in the Cathedral of Our Lady. Then his pure body was interred in the archbishopric’s office. The archbishopric’s house was filled with thousands of people from Hama and Syria of all sects and sects. After the funeral service, he was buried with his ancestors in the cemetery of the bishops of Hama under the dome of the old church bell.
From his life:
When snow fell in 1906, it paralyzed all movement and prevented all work. People felt distress and need. The bishop instructed his agent, Mikhail Hazouri, to give the needy people the supplies in the warehouse. The agent complied with the bishop’s request until the warehouse was empty, and the poor remained waiting. His Eminence called the agent and ordered him again to distribute, so he informed him that the supplies had run out. When The bishop just verified this. He knelt down and prayed and asked God for help. The warehouse was full again, so the agent returned to distribute.
It is said that one day, while he was sitting in Al-Suqaylabiyah, a woman came in, complaining and crying, and told him her story: Her children were young, her husband was taken to war and did not return, and she had no supporter. His lordship could not control himself and burst into tears, and he extended his hand into his pocket and gave her everything he had, so she prayed for him. Long life, and before she left, she said to him: O our master, I am a Muslim. He said to her: I did not ask you who you are or from what religion? For him, the loaf has no identity. It is for all those in need alike.
During the First World War, the Archbishopric of Hama was famous for cooking in large quantities to feed the needy, whatever religion they belonged to. It is said that because of his excessive giving, the archbishopric went bankrupt, and he did not hesitate to give his personal possessions and even the archbishopric furniture. One time, a person came to him begging and gave him one of the archbishopric’s items. That person took him to the brokerage market to sell it, and there one of the church’s agents saw him and asked him: “Where did you get this?” “It is from the archdiocese and it belongs to the archbishop.” He replied that the bishop was the one who gave it to him, and after the item was sold, they both went to the bishop, and there the agent asked his lordship, and he replied: I gave it to him, as he needs it more than me, and perhaps its price will help him to make ends meet.
- There were many who saw his face radiating light during the time of prayer, and they were so moved by him that they saw him as if he was rising from the ground.
There are many people from different sects who testify to his holiness and his compassion for the poor. Some of them even say that they saw him in a dream flying to the sky like an angel. We mention among them the testimony of the Most Merciful, Bishop Rafael Nimr, the Metropolitan of Aleppo: (Your bishop is a saint, and I watched him fly to the sky in my sleep.)
Bishop Gregory Gebara lived a saint and died a saint
Through his intercession, O God, have mercy on us and save us, Amen
Prepared by: Milad Deeb Jabbara
[1] He is Patriarch Meletius II of Antioch (1899-1906), the first Arab patriarch since 1725.
[2] This church does not exist now. It was demolished in the 1940s and the National Orthodox College School was built in its place during the era of the Trident of Mercy, Bishop Trevin Gharib of Latakia, Bishop of Latakia. Its demolition was a mistake by the church authorities because the lands around it were empty and cheap, and the icon of Saint Saba the Blessed is still present above the entrance. The principal of the school bears witness to the real owner of the school, who must be the guide to its students, teachers, and administration alike.
[3] He is the second Arab Patriarch (1906-1928). He was the Metropolitan of Tripoli in Lebanon. He was an example of holiness and good conduct. His biography is found in the book “Forgotten Saints in the Antiochian Heritage” by Archimandrite Thomas Bitar - Al-Nour Publications 1995.
[4] How we need this book to be reprinted, especially in our present time, when we must understand our faith accurately in order to confront the fierce attacks to which we are exposed in our daily lives by Judaizing Christian groups.
