Venerable Gabriel (Zyryanov) of Sedmiozerny

Venerable Gabriel, born Gavriil Fyodorovich Zyryanov on March 14/26, 1844, in Frolovo village, Irbit district, Perm province, into a devout peasant family, entered Optina Hermitage in 1864, receiving spiritual guidance from Elder Ambrose of Optina, later laboring in several monasteries including Raifa and Sedmiozerny Hermitages near Kazan. Tonsured with the name Tikhon and later receiving the schema as Gabriel, he became spiritual father of Sedmiozerny Hermitage, working extensively for its spiritual and material renewal. Gifted with clairvoyance and discernment, he drew thousands of pilgrims; among his spiritual children was Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, whom he blessed to found the Martha-Mary Convent. After false accusations in 1908, he moved to the Spaso-Eleazarov Monastery near Pskov, and in 1915 to Kazan, where he reposed on September 24. He was glorified among the venerable saints in 1996.