According to the Gospel of Luke, Gabriel was the angel who announced Jesus’ birth to Mary.
Luke 1:26–38 describes Gabriel being sent by God to Nazareth, where he told Mary that she would conceive Jesus. Gabriel identified the child as the Son of the Most High and said that he would inherit the throne of David.
This event is known as the Annunciation, a central scene in Christian art, theology, and worship. It is distinct from the announcement to the shepherds, which appears later in Luke and is delivered by an unnamed angel accompanied by a heavenly host.
Gabriel also appears earlier in Luke’s Gospel to announce the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah. He is therefore associated with announcements concerning both John and Jesus, although the two birth narratives are different episodes.