LIFE OF SAINT MARTYR GABRIEL       The Young Martyr Saint Gabriel was born on 22 March 1684 in Zvierki village, near Zabludov. He came from a pious orthodox family. His parents - Peter and Anastasia Gowdel - maintained the faith of their ancestors in a difficult period of time for orthodoxy, when the union was becoming the dominant religion in this region. As a child, Gabriel was distinguished among others by unusual traits during his young age. He enjoyed prayer and solitude rather than children's games.
    On April 11, 1690, a terrible tragedy occurred to the Gowdel family. Six-years-old Gabriel was murdered. The offender, wishing to hide his crime, secretly took the young Martyr's body away and abandoned it at a meadow on the edge of the forest near Zvierki village.
    After nine days, the corpse, which had not been decomposed, was found surrounded by dogs, which were guarding it diligently before the birds. The boy's corpse was given back to his parents. The body of the martyred was buried near country's church. It stayed there for about 30 years.
    In 1720, in the period of an epidemic, feeling unusual grace from this place, the children were being buried near Gabriel's grave to commemorate the Martyr's death. One day, during a funeral, the Martyr's grave was accindentally disturbed and His body was dug out. It turned out that despite lying for quite a long time underground, the body was not decomposed. The end of epidemic and many healings are connected with this event.
    The body was transferred during a solemn procession to the church in Zvierki and put into a crypt in the church's basement. In 1746, as a result of fire, the church was completely burnt down; however the body of St. Gabriel was saved. His partially burnt hand was miraculously healed and covered with the skin. After fire, the relic of Saint Gabriel was transferred to Zabludov.
    In 1755, the relic transferred to the Holy Trinity Monastery in Sluck. Just before the First World War the relic come back to Bialystok - to St. Nicola's cathedral, from where his late transferred to Monastery in Suprasl. During the First World War, the relic evacuated to Sluck, again. After liquidating of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Sluck by communist's authorities, the relic was transferred to Minsk, and next to Grodno, in 1944. Here liesed up to 21.09.1992.
    On days 21-22 September 1992, with blessing of a Bialystok and Gdansk Archbishop Sawa and also with blessing of a Grodno and Volkowyck Bishop Valentin, the relic of Saint Gabriel was festively transferred from Grodno to St. Nicola's Cathedral in Bialystok.       Saint Martyr Gabriel is the Heavenly Protector of children and youth. The memory day of St. Martyr Gabriel - 3 May (20 April, Old Style) is celebrated in Zabludov. On the eve of feast, from Bialystok to Zabludov started walker pielgrimage in honour of St. Gabriel. The day of translation of the relic of St. Gabriel - 22 September (9 September, Old Style) is celebrated in the St. Nicola's Cathedral in Bialystok. Bialystok's Days of the Orthodox Church Music is associated with this feast.