Economos Antony Gabriel's Obituary
Economos Antony Gabriel departed this earth to be with his Lord on November 2, 2022, with his loving family by his side after succumbing to complications resulting from multiple hip fractures. He was born and raised in Syracuse, NY and was the son of the late William and Nettie Gabriel.
No individual clergyman from the Antiochian Archdiocese had a greater impact on the church's image in Canada and the United States than Economos Antony Gabriel. After attending Syracuse University, he left to enter St. Vladimir's Seminary at 19, graduating in 1962, becoming one of the youngest students to be ordained by the Archdiocese in that same year.
He marked his 54th year of church service in 2016, after 40 years at St. George in Montreal, Canada. In Montreal, he expanded a 500-family parish into over 1,000 families with multiple services to give solace to those in special need. He performed services in Arabic, French, and English. A global Legacy Fund was established to continue his humanitarian organizations caring for the elderly, poor and afflicted, stirring community action whereby food, money, jobs and homes were supplied by parish members. His Syrian Refugee Program is a model in North America. A first in the Archdiocese was his Family Services project with a full-time psychologist to serve the pressing needs of parishioners. It was such service that earned him elevation to Archpriest and Economos by Metropolitan Philip and Great Economos by Metropolitan Joseph.
Writing and publishing have been major elements in his life. After 10 years of research, he authored a definitive history of the Antiochian Archdiocese, Ancient Church on New Shores: Antioch in North America. He is listed in The Who's Who in World Religions. He received the Gold Antonian Medal from Metropolitan Philip and The Knights of the Cedars of Lebanon. In recognition of his humanitarian work, the government of Canada awarded him the Silver and Gold Jubilee Medal from Queen Elizabeth, he received the Cross of the Cedar from Metropolitan Elia Karam and was recognized by the Province of Quebec and the city of Montreal through the National Assembly.
He is survived by his loving wife of nearly 63 years, Lynn, (November 6th); daughter, Tamara (Dr. Richard Barnes), sons, David (Suzanne), and Mark (Jill); and loving grandchildren, Ryan, Caitlin, Nicholas and Seaira, but is preceded in death by his granddaughter Jenna and nephew Gabriel. Known as Kenny to his siblings, he will be missed by Phillip (Evelyn) and Sharon (Richard) but was preceded in death by his older brothers Charles (Jewell) and Abraham (Betty Jean). He had many loving nieces and nephews to whom he felt great devotion.
Visitation will be held on Friday, November 18, 2022 from 4-6:30 pm, followed by Trisagion Prayers at 6:30 pm at St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church, 4988 Onondaga Rd, Syracuse, NY. A funeral service will take place at 10:30 am on Saturday, November 19, 2022 at St. Elias Church, followed by burial in Oakwood Cemetery.
Donations may be made to: St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Phoenix: https://www.stgeorgeaz.org or St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church, Syracuse: https://sainteliasny.com.
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