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Maria’s First Word
I established my family with the blessing of Saint Gabriel Urgebadze.
The Lord gave us four children.
However, our youngest daughter Maria was born with a developmental condition.
Until the age of three, she could not speak and communicated only through gestures and individual sounds.
In 2001, our whole family travelled to Samtavro Monastery.
At the resting place of Saint Gabriel, we prayed fervently to the Lord, asking that our daughter be given the ability to speak.
As we were preparing to leave, something unusual happened.
Maria suddenly ran towards the saint’s grave and brought back an apricot that we had not noticed there before.
Mother Paraskeva said:
— Let the girl eat it.
On the way home, what we had awaited for many years occurred.
For the first time in her life, Maria said clearly:
— Daddy, buy me a bread roll.
Those simple words became the most precious gift to us.
From that time onward, our daughter spoke as freely as other children.
Even today, we thank the Lord for this ineffable mercy shown to our family through the prayers of Saint Gabriel.
“The Lord does all things for a person’s good, and the saints are our intercessors before His Throne.”
Glory to God for all things!
From the recollections of Archpriest David Grigalashvili, Rector of the Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Tsnori.
