GABRIEL, — Archangel who announced the mystery of the Incarnation. The name means “man of God” or “man in whom God confides.” He is mentioned several times in Holy Scripture. To Daniel he explains the vision (Dn 8:16) and announces the time of the Messiah’s coming (Dn 9:21). In the New Testament, appearing to Zechariah at the right of the altar of incense, he announces the birth of a son (Lk 1:11–12) and punishes the incredulous father, and on this occasion reveals his dignity: “I am GABRIEL, who stand in the presence of God” (Lk 1:19); with these words he declares himself to be one of the highest angels. Above all, he came to announce the Incarnation to Mary (Lk 1:26–38).
In the sacred text he is called simply “angel”; later he is honored with the title “archangel” (q.v.). Thus already in some manuscripts of the Proto-Gospel of James (12:2; ed. C. Tischendorf, *Evangelia apocrypha*, Leipzig 1876, p. 24; ed. E. Amann, *Le protocanonique de Jacques*, Paris 1920, p. 228) and in the Sibylline Books (8:460; ed. J. Geffcken, *Oracula Sybilina*, Leipzig 1905, p. 171). In both texts of the *Epistola Apostolorum* (3:10, 24; 6:5; ed. C. Schmidt, *Texte und Untersuchungen*, 43, Leipzig 1919, pp. 40–41; PO 9, 197) four archangels appear: Michael, GABRIEL, Raphael, and Uriel. Thereafter he is often honored with this title (first given only to Michael: Jude 9), as attested by the Apocalypse of Paul (C. Tischendorf, *Apocalypses apocryphae*, Leipzig 1866, p. 62), Ephrem (Sermo adversus Haereticos, in *Opera graeca*, II, 269), Pseudo-Chrysostom (In Synaxarium Angelorum: PG 59, 755–756), Theodoret (In Cant. Canticorum, Prologue: PG 81, 45C), Ambrose (De virginibus, 2:2, 8: PL 16, 221), Pseudo-Augustine (Sermo 50, 6: PL 17, 707–737), and Sedulius (Opus Paschale, 2:3: PL 19, 596; CSEL 10, 199, 6).
In the apocryphal *History of Joseph* (12–29; ed. C. Tischendorf, *Evangelia apocrypha*, pp. 126–137) Christ Himself, as Saint Joseph lies dying, prays the Father to send Michael and GABRIEL to receive the holy soul about to depart. In our liturgical text, which depends on this apocryphon, only Michael is invoked that he “may take up” the soul (Ordo commendationis animae, in the *Rituale Romanum*, tit. 3, n. 7).
The iconography of GABRIEL is exceedingly rich, especially in the tender depictions of the Annunciation (q.v.) (which in the Greek Churches is prescribed in every temple). — See pl. CXXIII.