“The Mercy of God Is at Work Even Behind Prison Walls”

While serving my sentence at the Ksani Correctional Colony, I carried out an obedience at the Church of Saint Nicholas, built within the prison grounds.

Life in prison is filled with trials.

Many people suffer not only from physical illness, but also from profound emotional and spiritual pain.

It was there that many first heard about Saint Gabriel Urgebadze.

By God’s mercy, oil blessed at his resting place became a source of comfort for many prisoners.

On numerous occasions, I witnessed sick men ask us to pray together and reverently use this holy oil.

I especially remember a small child who had been brought to visit one of the prisoners.

The boy was seriously ill, and doctors could not determine the cause of his high temperature.

We prayed to the Lord together.

I anointed the child with the blessed oil in the sign of the Cross.

Soon he fell peacefully asleep and later felt significantly better.

After this, many prisoners began to pray more often and ask the Lord for help through the prayers of Saint Gabriel.

On one occasion, the Lord fulfilled a small request of my own in an extraordinary way.

I very much wanted to have a large icon of Saint Gabriel.

The following day, prison staff unexpectedly brought me precisely such an icon.

I received it as a consolation from the Lord.

On another occasion, late in the evening, an inner prompting led me to go outside into the yard.

There I saw a friend who had suddenly become unwell.

We prayed together, I anointed him with the blessed oil, and he soon felt better.

Such events strengthened many people in faith.

Even those who had previously been far from the Church began attending services, coming to the prison chapel more frequently, and seeking a spiritual life.

“No walls can separate a person from the mercy of God when his heart turns towards Christ.”

Glory to God for all things!