Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows - Canonization

Canonization

Gabriel was buried the day of his death. His companion in the novitiate, Bernard Mary of Jesus exclaimed:

Tears come to my eyes and I am filled with shame for having been so far from the virtues that he attained in such a short time.

Immediately thereafter Father Norbert wrote a biography of his life. In 1866, four years after the death of Gabriel, the Passionists were forced to abandon the monastery of Gran Sasso, and the church where Gabriel lay buried went deserted for 30 years. Since his death, the fame of Gabriel’s sanctity had spread through the local area, as well as amongst the Passionists. In 1891 the Congregation decided to formally open proceedings for Gabriel’s canonisation and, a year later, a committee visited his grave to examine his remains. Upon the arrival of the committee at Gran Sasso, the townspeople surrounded the church, determined not to have the body of Gabriel taken from their midst. Two years later the Passionist returned to resume their life at Gran Sasso.

The two miracles presented for the beatification of Gabriel were the inexplicable healings of Maria Mazzarella from pulmonary tuberculosis and periostitus, and the instantaneous cure of Dominic Tiber from an inoperable hernia. Gabriel was beatified by Pope Pius X on May 31, 1908. Present at the ceremony were his brother Michael, his companion Brother Sylvester, and his director, Father Norbert. The outbreak of the First World War delayed Gabriel’s canonisation for a while, but on May 13, 1920, he was raised to the altars by Pope Benedict XV.