The Very Rev. Fr. Gabriel, Assistant Priest of Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church, was born in Argentina in 1978. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the Institute of Theology of Saint John of Damascus in the University of Balamand in Lebanon (Institute of Theology – Balamand), which he completed in 2006. He also finished his Master’s Degree in Holy Scriptures at the Catholic University of Argentina (UCA – Facultad de teologia) and is preparing his thesis topic, “The Book of Revelation in the Orthodox Liturgy.” He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Arabic and has a very good knowledge of Modern Greek and Italian.
Since graduating from Balamand, Fr. Gabriel has been an instructor of the distance learning program in theology that the University has offered since 2008. He has collaborated on the implementation of the Balamand Biblical Courses (Cursos Bíblicos del Balamand (cursos-balamand.net) and has been part of the SOFIA theology program (Seminario Ortodoxo de Formación para Iberoamérica (cursos-balamand.net) since its beginnings. He has also worked on translating all the liturgical booklets published in the Archdiocese of Argentina since his return from Balamand in 2006.
Metropolitan Silouan (Moussi) of Mount Lebanon, then Metropolitan of Buenos Aires, ordained Fr. Gabriel as a Deacon on May 11, 2008, and as a Priest on July 8, 2012. Metropolitan Jacob of Buenos Aires elevated him to the rank of Archpriest in September 2019 during the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.
In 2008, Fr. Gabriel married Kh. Amelia Quintana Auad, whose family has Syrian roots in the town of Rabah in Homs, Syria. They have two daughters: Ana (born in 2010) and Catalina (born in 2013).
Father Gabriel worked tirelessly for 15 years in Argentina, and as the Rector of Saint George Cathedral of Buenos Aires for almost ten years. He also took care of Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Parish in Mendoza for more than two years during the COVID pandemic, traveling once a month to serve this community in Argentina.
In 2021, Fr. Gabriel was received into the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America and assigned to Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero, Illinois. After working for more than one year on his immigration papers, he arrived in Cicero on June 27, 2023.
Here, Fr. Gabriel desires to serve God, the Church of Antioch, and the Cicero Parish community with commitment and determination. He desires to bear witness to Christ’s Gospel and the rich diversity of the Holy Church of Antioch.
“I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev 3:20 NKJV) and “Be strong and of a good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Jos 1:9) are Fr. Gabriel’s favorite Bible verses.