Mother Gabriela, also known as Gavrilia was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholmew and the Holy Synod of Constantinople on October 3, 2023. Known as the “Ascetic of Love”, she was an Orthodox nun known for her care of the poor and sick.

She was born Avrillia Papayannis in Constantinople in 1897 to Helias and Victoria Papayanni who moved to Thessalonica in 1923. In 1938 she moved to England where she was trained as a physical therapist and chiropodist. After World War II she returned to Greece where she opened her own therapy office in Athens. In her treatment room she hung an icon of Christ washing the feet of the apostles which she could see while treating patients. She spoke little during the treatments silently saying the Jesus Prayer and “O heavenly King…”. Read more...