Gabriel of St Anne's Skete

Gabriel of St Anne's Skete, a hieromonk, with the secular name George Kartsonas, son of Dionysios and Eleni, was born in 1877 at Arfara in Messenia, to pious parents with many children. His father was the last mayor in fustanella of their town. He came in 1896 to the hut of Saint George in Saint Anne's Skete, was tonsured a monk in 1899 by Elder Gerasimos (d. 1917), ordained deacon and priest in 1901 and later made a confessor. He struggled together with three good brothers in the flesh: the hieromonks Seraphim (d. 1966), who came in 1902, and Dionysios (d. 1959), who came in 1904, and the monk Chrysostom (d. 1941). He kept, they say, strictness for himself and great love for others. He was also known as a very good icon painter. He was a hospitable and merciful elder. All the old people remember their Abrahamic hospitality with admiration. It was impressive that four of the eight brothers were dedicated to Christ, without ever having much familiarity among themselves; the elder ones were stricter with the younger.

Elder Cherubim says that his opinion always carried great weight in all the common matters of the skete. He had exemplary exactness in his monastic life. He wanted his disciples' obedience to be whole and therefore tried them strictly, even his brothers in the flesh. When some in the skete thought of opening roads, Elder Gabriel said to the Synaxis of elders: "Fathers, these hard, steep and rough paths of our skete helped the fathers before us to reach even holiness, thanks to hard struggles. Let us not seek comforts, then, if we want to follow in their steps." Then all the fathers of St Anne's agreed fully with him.

Before the daily night service a small earthquake was heard in his cell from the many full prostrations; a rule he kept without any lessening into deep old age. Always first at the service. If someone was very late to come, he was strict with him. In the fasts he did a double and triple rule, to have reserves for days of need. A day and night did not pass without the whole stichologia, the Theotokarion, the Akathist, the Paraklesis of the Mother of God and of Saint Anne or Saint George. After the service there was no rest: the elder put on a reading and the others prepared the food or the table until day broke and they began their handiwork. He reposed in the Lord on 29 July 1956. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.