Gabriel thought of the courage of the French monks murdered in 1996. They had been given every opportunity to leave, but their courage had sustained them. Ultimately, they had decided to confront violence with a love of all people and of peace. Gabriel paused in his journey and watched the story retold in ‘Of Gods and Men.’ In one of the last scenes, when Brother Luc puts on a tape from Tchaikovsky and they await their fate with resignation, tears poured down his cheeks.

The abbot of the small community leaves a message full of hope and reconciliation with Islam. A truly great man, living a life not in some great European monastery with a fine Abbey Church, but only with a complete moral simplicity, caring for his neighbours – the local Arab villagers.

In one touching scene, a Mullah sings from the Koran of the love of god and a Christian monk listens entranced.

When the film ended not a single person in the cinema – not Gabriel nor anyone else – stood up to leave as the credits rolled. They were too dumbstruck by the story of love and courage.