Gavriil Legach

Gavriil Legach was a schemaarchimandrite from Subcarpathian Rus, born in 1901 at Kopashnevo, Khust district, Maramures province, abbot of St Panteleimon Monastery from 1971 to 1975. He reposed on 26 June 1977. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named George Vasilievich in the world, the son of Maria, he learned to read and write from his grandfather and went to Athos with a group of young men who wished to become monks. From 1965 he was deputy, on 9 April 1971 he was elected abbot, on 26 April enthroned, and on 13 May Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) raised him to archimandrite. He followed the line of his predecessor, seeing the salvation of the monastery only in strengthening its link with the Russian Church. On 4 July 1975, because of illness, he gave up the abbacy, but until his death he helped the new abbot, Avel (Makedonov), with counsel and prayer. He reposed on 26 June 1977.