Life and icons of St. Andrew of Crete, where the relics and texts of prayers are located

Andrew Ierusalimite
(Greek ̓Ανδρέας ὁ Κρήτης, ῾Ιεροσολυμίτης; c. 660 - 740), Archbishop of Crete, Byzantine rhetorician and hymnographer, author of the Great Canon of repentance, Rev.
About the martyr of the same name, who suffered for the veneration of icons, see Art.
Andrew of Crete, venerable martyr Commemorated on July 4 and in the Cathedral of Cretan Saints (Greek).

Born around 660 in Damascus, his parents' names were George and Gregory.
Until the age of seven, the child was mute and spoke only after communion of the Holy Mysteries. He received his primary education in Damascus, where he studied the basics of grammar, rhetoric and philosophy. At the age of 15, Andrei Kritsky entered the Holy Sepulcher Brotherhood at the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, where he was tonsured a monk, ordained a reader, and then appointed a notary and housekeeper. In the fall of 685, after the acts of the VI Ecumenical Council were sent to Jerusalem and accepted by the Jerusalem Church, Andrew of Crete, together with two monks, delivered them to Constantinople. Remaining in the capital of Byzantium, Andrei was ordained a deacon of the Church of Hagia Sophia and served in this rank for over 20 years; he was in charge of the St. Paul Orphanage and the almshouse at the Church of Hagia Sophia.

Under the Patriarch of Constantinople Cyrus (706–712), Andrei of Crete was consecrated bishop and received an appointment to the see in the city of Gortyna (island of Crete) with the title of “Archbishop of Crete.”

According to the testimony of St. Theophan of Sigrian, at the Council convened by Emperor Philippicus to renew monothelitism in 712, Andrew of Crete, together with the Bishop of Cyzicus, St. Germanus, the future Patriarch of Constantinople, was among those who signed the anathema to the VI Ecumenical Council. Subsequently, Andrei Kritsky repented of signing the heretical definition; Tradition associates the composition of his famous Great Canon with this event. After the overthrow of the emperor in 713, Orthodoxy was restored, and the lists of acts of the VI Ecumenical Council were again distributed, accepted and signed by all former participants in the Council of 712.

Bishop in Crete Andrei built churches, including those in the image of Blachernae in Constantinople, and established shelters and almshouses. Through the prayers of the saint, numerous miracles were performed. Andrew of Crete traveled to Constantinople several times; in 740, on the way to Crete, he fell ill and died on the island of Lesbos, where his relics were placed in the Church of the Martyr Anastasia (now the Church of St. Andrew of Crete).

The main and earliest source about the life and work of Andrei of Crete is the life compiled before 843 by the patrician and quaestor Nikita [1], later repeatedly revised and included in the Slavic handwritten Great Menaions of Chetya. This monument contains detailed biographical information about Andrew of Crete, but is silent about him as a hymnographer and compiler of the Great Canon. The second most important source is the life of Andrew of Crete, written by the monk Macarius Makris in 1422 [2] and translated into modern Greek by St. Nicodemus Svyatogorets as part of his “ New selection of the lives of the saints”

,” which testifies to Andrei of Crete as a rhetorician, hymnographer and melurgist, the author of many canons and troparions. There is also a short life [3] as part of the Imperial Minology of 1034-1041 (published by V.V. Latyshev, 1912). The encomium of Joseph Kalofet (+ 1355) in a 14th-century manuscript from the monastery of Pantocrator remains unpublished [4].

Essays

In the Greek handwritten and printed Minologies, Synaxarions and homiletical collections there are about 60 sermons on church holidays attributed to Andrew of Crete, of which about 30 were published.
They undoubtedly belong to him

Words for the Nativity of Christ, Circumcision, Transfiguration, Annunciation, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Entry into the Temple, Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dormition, Exaltation of the Precious Cross, Beheading of St. John the Baptist, on the days of remembrance of the apostles and evangelists Luke and John the Theologian, righteous Joachim and Anna , holy unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, St. Nicholas, St. Patapius, 10 martyrs, Great Martyr George the Victorious; from the cycle of the Lenten and Colored Triodion: on the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee, Meat, Cheese, Vai, on the Holy Pentecost, on the veneration of holy icons, on the Saturday of the Akathist, on the four-day Lazarus, on the suffering of the Lord, on the paralytic, on the Holy Spirit.

Words that are dubious and counterfeit include:

: about Jacob, the brother of the Lord (Ed. J. Nordet, H. Gaspart. Toronto, 1978), about the “Virgin Mary brought as a three-year-old to the temple,” about the prodigal son, about the one possessed by the evil one, about the Holy Scriptures, about the cleansing of the soul, etc. A complete list of genuine and dubious encomia of Andrei Kritsky and a list of incipits of homilies of Andrei Kritsky was compiled by N. Tomadakis.

The sermons of Andrei Kritsky are written in the Attic dialect, the language is full of metaphors and symbols. According to the modern Typikon, it is necessary to read at the morning of the corresponding holidays 3 Words of the saint on the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, on the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and on Vai Week.

Andrew of Crete is also known as a melod, i.e., the author of texts and melos, many irmos, self-vocal troparions and self-vocal stichera, preserved in handwritten and printed Irmologies, Menaions, Triodions, Stichirars, Theotokarias (see Theotokarya).
N. Tomadakis connects the name of Andrei Kritsky with the creation of the genre of the 9-song canon, which replaced the kontakion in liturgical practice. The most famous canon of Andrew of Crete, a masterpiece of Byzantine spiritual poetry, is the penitential Great Canon, consisting of 250 troparia and 11 irmos, telling about the stories of the Fall and repentance in the Old Testament and the New Testament (the transgression of the commandment by Adam, the murder of Abel by Cain, the repentance of King David and the publican and etc.). The language of the Great Canon is replete with quotations from biblical texts, allusions to the hymns of St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. Roman the Sweet Singer. After 1204, Akaky Savvait compiled a commentary on the Great Canon, mentioning the victory of Emperor Basil II over the Bulgarians, the founding of Mosinople and containing information about the conquest of Constantinople by the Latins. Andrew of Crete wrote canons both for his own irmos and for the irmos of St. Herman, St. John of Damascus, and St. Cosmas of Maium.

In addition to the Great Canon, Andrew of Crete owns canons for the main Byzantine church holidays, most of them are included in modern liturgical books: canons for the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Presentation of the Lord, Annunciation, Vaiy Sunday, Easter, Transfiguration, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Conception of St. Anna, Nativity of John the Baptist, Beheading of John the Baptist, on the days of remembrance of Saints Maccabees, veneration of the chains of the Apostle Peter, Saints Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom and on the day of the discovery of his relics, Great Martyr George, Martyr Codratus, Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer, Saint Thecla, Saint Nicholas, Saint Patapia, as well as canons, three songs, four songs and self-vocal stichera for many days of the cycle of the Lenten and Colored Triodion (for example, the three songs and four songs of Holy Week, the canon of Easter, which is now not printed in liturgical books, etc.). The Canon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the Evergetid Rule (XII century) placed on the pre-celebration of the Dormition, has been preserved only in Slavic copies [5]. There are about 70 canons attributed to Andrew of Crete.

Distinctive features of the canons of Andrei Kritsky: the absence of an acrostic, the presence of a second song, the number of troparia of a song is usually more than four, a song can have two irmos.

Many of the homiletical works of Andrei of Crete were translated into Georgian in the 12th century, and the penitential Great was translated three times: by Euthymius Mtatsmindeli (+1028), George Iver of Svyatogorets (+1066) and Arseny of Ikaltoi on behalf of the Georgian king David IV the Builder (1073–1125 ). The translation of Arseny Ikaltoisky served as the main source when David IV the Builder created the original work “Songs of Repentance”.

In the Byzantine calendars, the memory of Andrei of Crete is indicated on April 29, May 4, June 4 and July 4. Under April 29, it is recorded in the Gospels of the 11th–12th centuries of Constantinople origin [6], under May 4 - only in the Typikon of the Great Church of the 10th century [7]; on June 4 - in the Synaxarion of the Church of Constantinople of the 10th century [8] and the Typikon of the Great Church of the 10th century [9]; under July 4 - in most Greek calendars: Typikon of the Great Church of the 10th century [10], in all editions of the Studite and Jerusalem statutes, the Minology of Basil II [11], the Stichny synaxarions of Christopher of Mytilene of the 11th century [12] and Theodore Prodromus of the early 12th century [13 ].

Prayer to the Venerable Martyr

In church books you can find the canon and troparion of the Saint. It is customary to read these texts if a person wants to turn to the venerable martyr. They talk about the feat and strength of an ordinary person, whom faith helped to resist power. Each of us has situations in life when we consider ourselves too “small” in front of our enemies. And if you look at what the venerable martyr was able to do, you will be ashamed. This was a young man who carefully kept the image of the Lord in his heart. He possessed neither wealth nor weapons, and did not lead an army. However, having learned about the devilish machinations of the cunning emperor, who planned to pervert the essence of religious tradition, he was able to rise to the level of a warrior of Christ. Agree, at the beginning of the millennium there were completely different orders. By speaking out against the ruler, a person doomed himself to a painful death. And he wasn't scared! The prayer to the Venerable Martyr Andrew of Crete is precisely about this. Every believer strives to merge with the Lord in such a way that in a difficult situation he forgets about his mortal life, and acts for His glory.

Veneration of Andrei of Crete in Rus'

The earliest evidence of the veneration of this saint in Rus' is the mention of the memory of Andrei of Crete in the monthly book of the Mstislav Gospel of the late - early 12th century [14].
The service of Andrew of Crete is contained in the Menaion of the 12th century. [15]. In transferred to the 1st floor. XII century in unspeakable Rus', the Prologue is included under July 4, the memory of Andrei of Crete without the life, under June 4 - a short life of the saint [16]. In the 1st half. XIV century the short life of Andrew of Crete was again translated (apparently by the Serbs on Athos) as part of the Stish Prologue. In addition to the main holiday of July 4, in a number of calendars the memory of Andrei of Crete is indicated under other dates that reflect the more archaic Byzantine era. tradition: April 29 – in Apostol [17] and June 4 – in Rumyantsevsky Obikhod [18]. Under June 4, the memory of Andrei of Crete is also found in later manuscripts: for example, in the Novgorod Menaions and the 16th century, the origin of which E.M. Schwartz associates with the Serbian Menaions brought by the abbot of the Lissitzky Monastery Hilarion from Athos at the end of the 14th century. The VMC contains, under the 4th of July, prologue lives and a lengthy life of Andrei of Crete, written by Nikita the patrician and the quaestor [19]. According to A. A. Alekseev, the translation of this life was made in the East. Bulgaria in and, according to the observation of O. A. Belobrova, it is distinguished by literalness [20]. The translated extensive life was read and copied in Rus'. Currently, a significant number of his lists from the 16th-18th centuries are known. as part of four Menaions and collections. The short life of Andrei Kritsky and the Words of Andrei Kritsky are included in all editions of the Prologue (7 Moscow editions from 1643 to 1696). In con. XVII century Saint Demetrius of Rostov included a revised life of Andrew of Crete, taking into account the data from the printed Prologue, into his Menaion on July 4th [21].

Widespread in Russian writing - XVII centuries. received hymnographic works and Words by Andrei Kritsky. Some works were preserved in the most ancient manuscripts of the 12th–13th centuries. (e.g., the penitential Great Canon in the Lenten Triodion of the 12th century [22], the homily “On the Four-Day Lazarus” in the Assumption collection of the late 12th - early 13th centuries [23]. Russian lists of the late 12th century of the Studios-Alexievsky Typikon 1034 [24] prescribes reading the words of St. Andrew from the cycle of the Lenten and Colored Triodion and on the twelfth holidays (Gorsky, Nevostruev. Description. Div. 3, part 1. pp. 247–256).

The Monk Andrew of Crete was especially revered among the princes. Apparently, he was the heavenly patron of the Holy Blessed Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky and Andrei, the son of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky [25]. Undoubtedly, Andrei, the son of Ivan Kalita, born on July 4, 1327, was named in honor of Andrei of Crete [26]. The author of an anonymous visit to Constantinople (late 13th - early 14th centuries) and Stefan Novgorod (1348–1349) talk about healings from the incorruptible relics of St. Andrew, who were in the Constantinople monastery named after him [27].

At the end of the 16th century. in Rus', apparently in the southwestern Russian lands, under the influence of Western European apocryphal works “The Tale of Pope Gregory”, “The Tale of Jerome about Judas the Traitor”, a new literary work arose, associated with the name of Andrei of Crete, but having nothing to do with his life, - The Tale of Andrei of Crete [28]. The story is based on the Oedipus plot, known in the folklore and literature of all European peoples. According to M. N. Klimova, who studied the history of the story (following A. N. Veselovsky, M. P. Dragomanov, N. K. Gudziy), the only connecting link between the Tale of Andrei Kritsky and the life of Andrei Kritsky is the penitential Great Canon . The compilers of the story took literally some of the confessions of the hero of the Great Canon and identified him with the creator of the canon. Over the centuries, the plot of the story has undergone various changes (M. N. Klimova identifies 6 editions); the popularity of the story is confirmed by the large number of its lists (about 50, mostly of Ukrainian and Belarusian origin).

Important life milestones

Believers, celebrating the Day of St. Andrew of Crete, remember his fate and try to absorb the experience of this man. Attention is focused on devotion to Jesus, the hardships that he was able to overcome for His glory. This is common practice. Nevertheless, to form the correct image, one must also imagine the historical events that a person had to face. Most likely, the formation of his personality was influenced by observing how those around him did not give up sin. His biography tells that this man was kind and meek. He did not quarrel with sinners, but showed them an example with his life. Resistance to almost the entire society can break or harden. Andrey remained true to his principles received from his parents. His faith only strengthened further, which he demonstrated publicly in Constantinople when the time came.

Hymnography

In the Slavic Typikons, both in the first printed one in 1610, and in the one currently used in the Russian Orthodox Church, the service of 2 saints without a sign is indicated - Andrew of Crete and Martha, the mother of St. Simeon the Stylite. In the Menaions now used in the Greek Churches, it is noted that in some manuscripts both services are written out, but now only the service of St. Andrey Kritsky.

The saint's sequence, which includes the canon of Theophanes in the 1st plagal, i.e., 5th, tone, with the acrostic “Humnois krotomen andrikois ton Andrean” (Greek – Let us sing with the masculine songs of Andrei), as well as a corpus of stichera in the 1st tone , placed in glory. printed Menaea, dates back to the time of the Studite Charter and was already recorded in the Evergetid Typikon. Troparion and Corpus of Stichera of St. Andrew, placed in the Greek printed Menaion, are different from similar texts of glory. printed Menaion. Kontakion “Blowing the clearly divine sweet singing”, placed in the modern Greek and Slavic Menaions, is found in the Patmos, Athos and Sinai Kondakara of the 11th–12th centuries, as well as in the Jerusalem Kondakara of the 14th century. [29].

In the Great Canon, read on Thursday of the 5th week of Great Lent, in each of the hymns before the Trinity, one troparion of Andrew of Crete is placed.

What is known about the life of the venerable martyr

Andrey Kritsky was born on the island of Crete. His life was full of hardships and wanderings. For some time he lived as a monk among the monks of the Castron monastery. The monk's life was filled with calmness and pious leisureliness. He belonged to the admirers of icons and was firmly convinced that icon painting was pleasing to God himself. When the iconoclastic persecution began, the monk hurried to an audience with Emperor Constantine V. There he spoke out against the emperor’s heresy, openly accused Constantine, and demanded an end to the persecution.

After the speech, Andrei was captured and thrown to the bottom of a prison pit. He was threatened with a cruel death penalty, but death overtook him earlier. When the martyr was dragged by the hands to the place of execution, an aggressive merchant cut his legs with a sharp dagger. The wound was so serious that Andrei died from loss of blood. Andrei's death became a symbol of martyrdom.

Reference! After his death, 100 years passed before a canon was written about it by Joseph the Songwriter.

Iconography

There are 2 types of images of Andrew of Crete - in monastic vestments and in priestly vestments.
As the venerable (in a tunic, doll, mantle) Andrew of Crete is presented: on a fresco in Chapel 3 in Goreme, 9th century, with a long gray beard; on miniature Minology of the 11th century. [thirty]; on the fresco walls of the deaconry of the Church of St. Nikita in Chucher, 1309–1316, - in the hands of a scroll with the inscription: “We also bring this verbal message to You...”. Also in the wall minologies: the Church of the Great Martyr. George in Staro-Nagorichino (Macedonia), 1317–1318, full-length; in the narthex of the Church of the Annunciation of the Gracanica monastery (Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Metohija), 1321–1322, – chest-to-chest; in the narthex of the Church of the Great Martyr. George in the village. Omorphi, Kastoria (Greece), con. XIII – beginning XIV centuries; in the narthex the archbishop. Daniel 2, Patriarchate of Peć (Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Metohija), 1565; in the refectory of the Dionysiates monastery on Mount Athos, 1547. In Russian. monuments - on the icon of the Mother of God “Blessed Sky”, 40s. XVII century (Church of the Holy Trinity in Nikitniki, Moscow) - in prayer to the Mother of God; icon “Vmch. Artemy and etc. Andrew, Archbishop Cretan", con. XVII century (KIAKHMZ) - in prayer to Jesus Christ, with an unfolded scroll with the inscription: “Lord look down from heaven...”. The iconography of Andrew of Crete as a saint (in a phelonion, an omophorion, with the Gospel in his hands), with a short gray beard, became widespread in Russian. art. This is how he is presented: at the small sakkos Photius, Metropolitan. Moskovsky, ser. XIV century, XV–XVII centuries. – with a pointed beard; in the Greek-Georgian manuscript [31]; on the Vologda icon “Mineaion for July”, end. XVI century; on a miniature of the 17th century. [32], placed in front of the “Word of Andrew of Crete on honor and the veneration of holy icons” - St. Andrew in a white hood; Icon “Prophet Samuel and St. Andrei of Crete in front of the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God,” 1707, master of the Armory Chamber (GRM), in a black hood and with a staff; in Russian Menaion icon of the 18th century. (museum in Recklinghausen); the icon “Reverends Andrew of Crete, Evdokia, Zosima and Savvatiy of Solovetsky”, 1820, painted by I. A. Bogdanov-Karbatovsky (AMI); on the enamel icon “St. equal to Helen and St. Andrey Kritsky", 1st half. XIX century (CMiAR) - with an open book in his hands.

“Erminia” by Dionysius Furnoagrafiot, beginning. XVIII century, twice mentions Andrew of Crete as “an old man with a gray beard”: among the saints, saying “Look, Lord Jesus Christ...” (Part 3. § 8. No. 13), and among hymnographers, with the inscription: “Helper and The patron will be my salvation” (Part 3. § 15. No. 2). In the Bolshakovsky icon-painting original, 18th century, it is said about Andrei of Crete: “Sed, like Blasius, robe, crosses, in an amphora [omophorion], under a robe with white.”

Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete. Article from Volume II of the Orthodox Encyclopedia

In Greek - Andreas ho Krites, Hiersolumites (c. 660, Damascus - 07/04/740, Eresso, Lesbos), (comm. - July 4). Byzantine rhetorician and hymnographer, author of the penitential Great Canon, read during the 1st and 5th weeks of Lent and a number of other works. One should not confuse Andrew of Crete with the Venerable Martyr Andrew of Crete (Comm. Oct. 17), who suffered for holy icons under Emperor Constantine V Copronymus (741–775).

Life. The main and earliest source about the life and work of Andrei of Crete is the life compiled before 843 by Patricius and quaestor Nikita (BHG, N 113), later repeatedly revised and included in the Slavic handwritten Great Menaions of Chetia. This monument contains detailed biographical information about Andrew of Crete, but is silent about him as a hymnographer and compiler of the Great Canon. The second most important source is the life of Andrew of Crete, written by the monk Macarius Makris in 1422 (BHG, N 114; published by V. Laurdas) and translated into modern Greek by St. Nicodemus of Svyatogorets as part of his “New Collection” (Greek – Neon Eklogion), which testifies to Andrei of Crete as a rhetorician, hymnographer and melurgist, the author of many canons and troparions. There is also a short life (BHG, N 114a) as part of the Imperial Minology of 1034–1041. (published by V.V. Latyshev, 1912). The encomium of Joseph Kalofet (d. 1355) in a 14th-century manuscript remains unpublished. from the monastery of Pantocrator (BHG, N 114c).

According to the life compiled by Nikita, Andrei Kritsky's parents' names were George and Gregory. Until the age of 7, the child was mute and spoke only after communion of the Holy Mysteries. He received his primary education in Damascus, where he studied the basics of grammar, rhetoric and philosophy. At the age of 15, Andrei Kritsky entered the Holy Sepulcher Brotherhood at the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, where he was tonsured a monk, ordained a reader, and then appointed a notary and housekeeper. In the fall of 685, after the acts of the VI Ecumenical Council were sent to Jerusalem and accepted by the Jerusalem Church, Andrew of Crete, together with 2 monks, delivered them to Constantinople.

Remaining in the capital of Byzantium, Andrei of Crete was ordained a deacon of the Church of St. Sophia and served in this rank for over 20 years; he was in charge of an orphanage and an almshouse at the Church of Hagia Sophia. Under the Patriarch of Constantinople Cyrus (706–712), Andrei of Crete was consecrated bishop and received an appointment to the see in the city of Gortyna (island of Crete) with the title of “Archbishop of Crete.” According to the testimony of St. Theophan the Confessor, at the Council convened by Emperor Philippicus for the resumption of monothelitism (712), Andrew of Crete, together with the Bishop of Cyzicus, St. Germanus, the future Patriarch of Constantinople, was among those who signed the anathema to the VI Ecumenical Council. Subsequently, Andrei Kritsky repented of signing the heretical definition; Tradition associates the composition of his famous Great Canon with this event. After the overthrow of the emperor in 713, Orthodoxy was restored, and the lists of acts of the VI Ecumenical Council were again distributed, accepted and signed by all former participants of the Council of 712. In Crete, Andrei of Crete built churches, including in the image of Blachernae in Constantinople, established shelters and almshouses . Through the prayers of the saint, numerous miracles were performed. Andrew of Crete traveled to Constantinople several times; in 740, on the way to Crete, he fell ill and died on the island of Lesbos, where his relics were placed in the church of the martyr Anastasia (now the Church of St. Andrew of Crete).

In the Greek manuscript and printed Minologies, Synaxarions and homiletical collections there are about 60 sermons on church holidays attributed to Andrew of Crete, of which about 30 were published. The Words on the Nativity of Christ, the Circumcision, the Transfiguration, the Annunciation, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Entry into the Temple undoubtedly belong to him. , Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos, Dormition, Exaltation of the Precious Cross, Beheading of St. John the Baptist, on the days of remembrance of the apostles and evangelists Luke and John the Theologian, righteous Joachim and Anna, holy unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, St. Nicholas, St. Patapius, 10 martyrs, Great Martyr George Victorious; from the cycle of the Lenten and Colored Triodion: on the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee, Meat, Cheese, Vai, on the Holy Pentecost, on the veneration of holy icons, on the Saturday of the Akathist, on the four-day Lazarus, on the suffering of the Lord, on the paralytic, on the Holy Spirit. Doubtful and spurious words include: about James, the brother of the Lord (Ed. J. Nordet, H. Gaspart. Toronto, 1978), about “The Virgin Mary, brought three years old into the temple,” about the prodigal son, about the one possessed by the evil one, about the Holy Scriptures, about the purification of the soul, etc. A complete list of genuine and dubious encomia of Andrew of Crete and a list of incipits of the homilies of Andrew of Crete were compiled by N. Tomadakis. The sermons of Andrei Kritsky are written in the Attic dialect, the language is full of metaphors and symbols. According to the modern Typikon, it is necessary to read at the morning of the corresponding holidays 3 Words of the saint on the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, on the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and on Vai Week.

Andrew of Crete is also known as a melod, i.e., the author of texts and melos, many irmos, self-vocal troparions and self-vocal stichera, preserved in handwritten and printed Irmologies, Menaions, Triodions, Stichirars, Theotokarias (see Theotokarya). N. Tomadakis connects the name of Andrei Kritsky with the creation of the genre of the 9-song canon, which replaced the kontakion in liturgical practice. The most famous canon of Andrew of Crete, a masterpiece of Byzantine spiritual poetry, is the penitential Great Canon, consisting of 250 troparia and 11 irmos, telling about the stories of the Fall and repentance in the Old Testament and the New Testament (the transgression of the commandment by Adam, the murder of Abel by Cain, the repentance of King David and the publican and etc.). The language of the Great Canon is replete with quotations from biblical texts, allusions to the hymns of St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. Roman the Sweet Singer. After 1204, Akaky Savvait compiled a commentary on the Great Canon, mentioning the victory of Emperor Basil II over the Bulgarians, the founding of Mosinople and containing information about the conquest of Constantinople by the Latins. Andrew of Crete wrote canons both for his own irmos and for the irmos of St. Herman, Venerable John of Damascus, and Venerable Cosmas of Maium.

In addition to the Great Canon, Andrew of Crete owns canons for the main Byzantine church holidays, most of them are included in modern liturgical books: the canons of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Presentation, Annunciation, Holy Week, Easter, Transfiguration, Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Conception of St. Anne, Nativity of John the Baptist , Beheading of the head of John the Baptist, on the days of remembrance of the Saints Maccabees, the veneration of the chains of the Apostle Peter, Saints Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom and on the day of the discovery of his relics, the Great Martyr George, the Martyr Codratus, Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer, Saint Thecla, Saint Nicholas, Saint Patapius, and also canons, three songs, four songs and self-vocal stichera for many days of the cycle of the Lenten and Colored Triodion (for example, the three songs and four songs of Holy Week, the canon of Easter, which is now not printed in liturgical books, etc.). The Canon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the Evergetid Rule (XII century) placed on the pre-celebration of the Dormition, was preserved only in Slavic copies (GIM. Khlud. No. 156, late XIII - early XIV century, Khlud. No. 160, early XIV century .). There are about 70 canons attributed to Andrew of Crete.

Distinctive features of the canons of Andrei Kritsky: the absence of an acrostic, the presence of a 2nd canto, the number of troparions of a song usually exceeds 4, a canticle can have 2 irmos.

Into the Georgian language in the 10th–12th centuries. Many of the homiletical works of Andrew of Crete were translated, and the Penitential Great was translated three times: by Euthymius Mtatsmindeli (d. 1028), George Iver of Svyatogorets (d. 1066) and Arseny of Ikaltoi on behalf of the Georgian king David IV the Builder (1073–1125). The translation of Arseny Ikaltoisky served as the main source when David IV the Builder created the original work “Songs of Repentance”.

In the Byzantine calendars, the memory of Andrei of Crete is indicated on April 29, May 4, June 4 and July 4. Under April 29, it is recorded in the Gospels of the 11th–12th centuries. of Constantinople origin (Sergius (Spassky). Monthly Book. T. 2. P. 126); on May 4 - only in the Typikon of the Great Church of the 10th century. (Mateos. Typicon. P. 281); on June 4 - in the Synaxarion of the Church of Constantinople in the 10th century. (SynCP. Col. 730) and the Typicon of the Great Church of the 10th century. (Mateos. Typicon. P. 304–305); under the 4th of July - in most Greek calendars: Typikon of the Great Church of the 10th century. (Mateos. Typicon. P. 330–331), in all editions of the Studite and Jerusalem statutes, the Minology of Basil II (PG. 117. Col. 524), the Stichny synaxarions of Christopher of Mytilene of the 11th century. (Cristoforo Mitileneo. Calendari. P. 453, 457) and Theodore Prodromus beginning. XII century (Teodoro Prodromo. Calendario. P. 130).

Veneration of Andrei of Crete in Rus'

The earliest evidence of the veneration of this saint in Rus' is the mention of the memory of Andrei of Crete in the monthly book of Mstislav’s Gospel. XI – beginning XII century (Aprakos of Mstislav the Great. P. 273).

The service of Andrew of Crete is contained in the Menaion of the 12th century. (RGADA. Syn. type. 122. L. 15 vol. – 19). In transferred to the 1st floor. XII century in unstichnaya Rus' Prologue included under July 4, the memory of Andrei of Crete without the life, under June 4 - a short life of the saint (the oldest list: BAN 4.5.10, XIII century - Parchment manuscripts BAN USSR. L., 1976. P. 34) . In the 1st half. XIV century the short life of Andrew of Crete was again translated (apparently by the Serbs on Athos) as part of the Stish Prologue. In addition to the main holiday of July 4, in a number of calendars the memory of Andrei of Crete is indicated under other dates that reflect the more archaic Byzantine era. tradition: April 29 - in the Apostle (GIM. Khlud. No. 35. L. 178, late XIII - early XIV centuries) and June 4 - in Rumyantsevsky Obikhod (RSL. Rum. No. 284. L. 95 vol. , 1st half of the 14th century). Under June 4, the memory of Andrei of Crete is also found in later manuscripts: for example, in the Novgorod Menaions of the 15th and 16th centuries, the origin of which E.M. Schwartz associates with the Serbian Menaions brought by the abbot of the Lissitzky Monastery Hilarion from Athos at the end of the 14th century. The VMCH contains, under the 4th of July, prologue lives and a lengthy life of Andrei of Crete, written by Nikita the patrician and quaestor (Joseph, archimandrite. Table of contents of the VMCH. Stb. 297 (2nd page)). According to A. A. Alekseev, the translation of this life was made in the East. Bulgaria in the 10th century and, according to the observation of O. A. Belobrova, it is distinguished by literalness (TODRL. T. 51. P. 211, 213). The translated extensive life was read and copied in Rus'. Currently, a significant number of his lists from the 16th–18th centuries are known. as part of four Menaions and collections. The short life of Andrei Kritsky and the Words of Andrei Kritsky are included in all editions of the Prologue (7 Moscow editions from 1643 to 1696). In con. XVII century St. Demetrius of Rostov included a revised life of Andrew of Crete, taking into account the data from the printed Prologue, into his Menaion on July 4 (L. 321 vol.–322 vol.).

Widespread in Russian writing of the 11th–17th centuries. received hymnographic works and Words by Andrei Kritsky. Some works were preserved in the most ancient manuscripts of the 12th–13th centuries. (for example, the penitential Great Canon in the Lenten Triodion of the 12th century (GIM. Sin. 319. L. 223 vol. - 250), the homily “On the four-day Lazarus” in the Assumption collection of the late 12th - early 13th centuries (L. 222 vol. – 234).Russian lists of the late 12th century Studiysko-Alexievsky Typicon of 1034 (GIM. Syn. No. 330 and RNL. Soph. No. 1136.) prescribes reading the words of A. from the cycle of the Lenten and Colored Triodion and for the twelve holidays (Gorsky, Nevostruev. Description. Dept. 3, part 1. P. 247–256).

A. was especially revered among the princes. Apparently, he was the heavenly patron of the Holy Blessed Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky and Andrei, the son of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky (cf. the image on the seal - Likhachev N. P. S. 47–48). Undoubtedly, Andrei, the son of Ivan Kalita, born on July 4, 1327, was named in honor of A. (PSRL. T. 18. P. 135). The author of the anonymous pilgrimage to Constantinople (late 13th – early 14th century) and Stefan Novgorodets (1348–1349) talk about healings from the incorruptible relics of A., located in the Constantinople monastery named after him (Book of pilgrimages. pp. 86, 97).

At the end of the 16th century. in Rus', apparently in the southwestern Russian lands, under the influence of Western European apocryphal works “The Tale of Pope Gregory”, “The Tale of Jerome about Judas the Traitor”, a new literary work arose, associated with the name of Andrei of Crete, but having nothing to do with his life, – The Tale of Andrei of Crete (the oldest list: BAN of the USSR. DA / II. 581, turn of the 16th–17th centuries; publ.: Gudziy. pp. 22–34). The story is based on the Oedipus plot, known in the folklore and literature of all European peoples. According to M. N. Klimova, who studied the history of the story (following A. N. Veselovsky, M. P. Dragomanov, N. K. Gudziy), the only connecting link between the Tale of Andrei Kritsky and the life of Andrei Kritsky is the Great Penitential Canon . The compilers of the story took literally some of the confessions of the hero of the Great Canon and identified him with the creator of the canon. Over the centuries, the plot of the story has undergone various changes (M. N. Klimova identifies 6 editions); the popularity of the story is confirmed by the large number of its lists (about 50, mostly of Ukrainian and Belarusian origin).

Hymnography

In the Slavic Typicons, both in the first printed one in 1610, and in the one currently used in the Russian Orthodox Church, the service of 2 saints without a sign is indicated (see Signs of the holidays of the month) - Andrew of Crete and Martha, the mother of St. Simeon the Stylite. In the Menaions, now used in the Greek Churches, it is noted that both services are written out in hidden manuscripts, but now only the service of St. Andrew of Crete is sung.

The saint's sequence, which includes the canon of Theophanes in the 1st plagal, i.e., 5th, tone, with the acrostic “Humnois krotomen andrikois ton Andrean” (Greek – Let us sing with the masculine songs of Andrei), as well as a corpus of stichera in the 1st tone , placed in glory. printed Menaea, dates back to the time of the Studite Charter and was already recorded in the Evergetid Typikon. The troparion and body of stichera of St. Andrew, placed in the Greek printed Menaions, are different from similar texts of glory. printed Menaion. Kontakion “Blowing the clearly divine sweet singing”, placed in the modern Greek and Slavic Menaions, is found in the Patmos, Athos and Sinai Kondakara of the 11th–12th centuries, as well as in the Jerusalem Kondakara of the 14th century. (GIM. Sin.gr. 437. L. 208).

In the Great Canon, read on Thursday of the 5th week of Great Lent, in each of the hymns before the Trinity, there is one troparion to St. Andrew. Essays: canons : PG. 97. Col. 805–1444; Lenten Triodion. T. 1–2; Triodion Colored; AHG. T. 13. P. 339–340; Follieri. Initia hymnorum. Vol. 1. P. 253–254; Sergius (Spassky). Monthsword. T. 1. P. 454, 490; T. 2. P. 199; Follieri E. Un canone inedito di S. Andrea di Creta per l'Annunciazione // Collectanea Vaticana in honorem Anselmi M. Card. Albareda. Vat., 1962. P. 337–357; Paolini G. Andrea di Creta: Canone per S. Giorgio // Follieri E. Un Theotocario Marciano del sec. XIV. R., 1961. P. 231–261; Maisano R. Un inno inedito di S. Andrea di Creta per la domenica delle palme // Rev. di storia e letteratura religiosa. 1970. Vol. 6. P. 519–572; Sanz P. Ein Fragment eines neuen Kanons d. Andreas v. Kreta // JOB. 1955. Bd. 4. S. 1–11; Easter Canon of St. Andrei Kritsky / Publ., description and translation. prot. Sergius Pravdolyubov. M., 1996; words : From the word on the Exaltation of the Honest Cross // VC. 1851/1852. T. 15. No. 23. P. 217–218; Word for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary // Ibid. 1853/1854. T. 17. No. 21. pp. 193–196.

Sources: BHG, N 113–114c; Monuments of ancient Russian literature, published by gr. G. Kushelev-Bezborodko / Ed. N. Kostomarova. St. Petersburg, 1860, pp. 415–417; Papadopoulos-Kerameus. Analekta. T. 5. S. 169–179; JSV. July. pp. 69–72; Loparev H. Description of some Greek lives of saints, III: Life of St. Andrei Kritsky // VV. 1897. T. 4. P. 345–348; Latysev. Menolog. Fasc. 2. P. 136–137; Gudziy N.K. On the legends of Judas the traitor and Andrew of Crete // RFV. 1915. No. 1; Likhachev N.P. Materials for the history of Byzantine and Russian sphragistics. L., 1928; Book of Walking: Zap. rus. travelers of the 11th–15th centuries. M., 1984; Menaea (MP). July. Part 1. pp. 248–261; The Tale of Andrei Kritsky // PLDR: XVII century. M., 1988. Book. 1. pp. 270–274, 640–641; Belobrova O. A. Andrei Kritsky in ancient Russian literature // TODRL. 1999. T. 51. pp. 215–220.

Literature: Filaret (Gumilevsky). Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church. St. Petersburg, 1859; Petrov N. O. On the origin and composition of the Slavic-Russian printed Prologue (foreign sources). K., 1875; Veselovsky A. N. Andrei Kritsky in the legend of the incestuous man and the legend of the Apostle Andrei // ZhMNP. 1885. T. 239. No. 6. P. 231–237; Drahomanov M.P. Slavyanskite corrections on the Yedipova history. Sofia, 1891; Ponomarev A. Andrey, Archbishop of Crete, St. // PBE. T. 1. Stb. 765–769; Heisenberg A. Ein jambisches Gedicht d. Andreas v. Kreta // BZ. 1901. Bd. 10. S. 505–514; Vailhe S. Saint Andre de Crete // EO. 1901/02. T. 5. P. 378–387; M-ov P. St. Andrew of Crete as a church hymnist // Olonetsky EV. 1902. No. 4. P. 143–149; No. 5. pp. 181–187; No. 6. pp. 221–226; No. 7. pp. 276–279; No. 8. pp. 299–302; No. 9. pp. 330–334; Rozhdestvensky M. St. Andrew of Crete as a church hymnist // Wanderer. 1902. March. pp. 447–472. June. pp. 1136–1141; Filaret. Song singers. pp. 195–200; Petit L. Andre de Crete // DACL. T. 1. Col. 2034–2041; Kolokolnikov M., priest. The Great "Canon" of St. Andrei Kritsky and his modern value // Wanderer. 1909. No. 2. P. 192–206; Karabinov I. Lenten Triodion. St. Petersburg, 1910. pp. 98–107; Mercenier E. A propos d'Andre de Crete // Tome commemoratif du millenaire de la Bibliotheque Patrarcale d'Alexandrie. Alexandrie, 1953. P. 170–178; Sanz P. Ein Fragment eines neuen Kanon d. Andreas v. Kreta // JOBG. 1955. Bd. 4. S. 1–11; Todorov T. St. Andrew of Crete - the great hymn writer // Church Herald. Sofia, 1961. No. 6; Budovnits I. U. Dictionary of Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian writing and literature until the 18th century. M., 1962. S. 76, 298; Sarafanova (Demkova) N. S. Works of Old Russian writing in the works of Avvakum // TODRL. 1962. T. 18. P. 335; Shiro G. Caratteristiche dei canoni di Andrea Cretese: Studi su alcune composizioni inediti del melode // Krhtik Cronik. 1963. T. 15–16. S. 113–138; Richard M. Le commentaire du Grand Canon d'Andre de Crete par Acace le Sabaïte // EEBS. 1965. T. 34. S. 304–311; Talin V. Saint Andrew, Shepherd of Crete, and his Great Penitential Canon // ZhMP. 1968. No. 2. P. 65–72; Ryabtsev A. The Great Canon - the school of repentance (study) // Ibid. 1969. No. 3. P. 71–76; Protsyuk Yu., prot. The science of repentance to the Great Canon St. Andrey Kritsky. Lviv, 1972. Republic; Szoverffy. Hymnography. Vol. 2. P. 6–10; Old Russian sewing of the 15th–18th centuries. in the State Assembly Russian Museum: Cat. vyst. / Comp. and ed. Art. L. D. Likhacheva. L., 1980; Klimova M.N. Experience in textual criticism of the Tale of Andrei of Crete // Old Russian manuscript book and its existence in Siberia. Novosibirsk, 1982, pp. 46–61; she is the same. The Tale of Andrei Kritsky and folklore (some aspects of comparative analysis) // Manuscript tradition of the 16th–19th centuries in the east of Russia. M., 1983. S. 27–39; NKS. T. 3. P. 512–513; Pravdolyubov S., protod. Great Canon of St. Andrei Kritsky: History. Poetics. Theology: Master. dis. / MDA. M., 1987. T. 1–2 [Bibliography. and list of op.]; Schwartz E.M. Novgorod manuscripts of the 15th century: Kodikol. research RKP. Sofia-Novgorod collection State Public library. M.; L., 1989. P. 29; Vlasova O. M. Ancient Russian art in the collections of the Perm State. Art Gallery // PKNO, 1992. M., 1993; Prot. Sergiy Pravdolyubov, A. Yu. Nikiforova, O. V. Loseva, E. V. Romanenko

Iconography

There are 2 types of images of St. Andrew of Crete - in monastic vestments and in priestly vestments. As a venerable saint (in a tunic, doll, robe) St. Andrew is represented: on a fresco in Chapel 3 in Goreme, 9th century, with a long gray beard; on miniature Minology of the 11th century. (Messan. Salvad. 27. Fol. 238r); on the fresco walls of the deaconry of the Church of St. Nikita in Chucher, 1309–1316, - in the hands of a scroll with the inscription: “We also bring this verbal message to You...”. Also in the wall minologies: the Church of the Great Martyr. George in Staro-Nagorichino (Macedonia), 1317–1318, full-length; in the narthex of the Church of the Annunciation of the Gracanica monastery (Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Metohija), 1321–1322, – chest-to-chest; in the narthex of the Church of the Great Martyr. George in the village. Omorphi, Kastoria (Greece), con. XIII – beginning XIV centuries; in the narthex the archbishop. Daniel 2, Patriarchate of Peć (Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Metohija), 1565; in the refectory of the Dionysiates monastery on Mount Athos, 1547. In Russian. monuments - on the icon of the Mother of God “Blessed Sky”, 40s. XVII century (Church of the Holy Trinity in Nikitniki, Moscow) - in prayer to the Mother of God; icon “Vmch. Artemy and etc. Andrew, Archbishop Cretan", con. XVII century (KIAKHMZ) - in prayer to Jesus Christ, with an unfolded scroll with the inscription: “Lord look down from heaven...”.

The iconography of Andrew of Crete as a saint (in a phelonion, an omophorion, with the Gospel in his hands), with a short gray beard, became widespread in Russian. art. This is how he is presented: at the small sakkos Photius, Metropolitan. Moskovsky, ser. XIV century, XV–XVII centuries. – with a pointed beard; in the Greek-Georgian manuscript (RNB. OI 58. L. 120 vol., 15th century); on the Vologda icon “Mineaion for July”, end. XVI century; on a miniature of the 17th century. (RNB. QI1007. L. 145 vol.), placed before the “Word of Andrew of Crete on the honor and veneration of holy icons” - St. Andrew in a white hood; Icon “Prophet Samuel and St. Andrei of Crete in front of the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God,” 1707, master of the Armory Chamber (GRM), in a black hood and with a staff; in Russian Menaion icon of the 18th century. (museum in Recklinghausen); the icon “Reverends Andrew of Crete, Evdokia, Zosima and Savvatiy of Solovetsky”, 1820, painted by I. A. Bogdanov-Karbatovsky (AMI); on the enamel icon “St. equal to Helen and St. Andrey Kritsky", 1st half. XIX century (CMiAR) - with an open book in his hands.

“Erminia” by Dionysius Furnoagrafiot, beginning. XVIII century, twice mentions St. Andrew as “an old man with a gray beard”: among the saints, saying “Look, Lord Jesus Christ...” (Part 3. § 8. No. 13), and among hymnographers, with the inscription: “Helper and the Patron will be my salvation” (Part 3. § 15. No. 2). In the Bolshakovsky icon-painting original, 18th century, it is said about A.: “Sed, like Blasius, robe, crosses, in an amphora [omophorion], under a robe with white.”

In 1883, in the name of St. Andrew of Crete, a chapel was built in the bell tower of the church. Chariton the Confessor of the 17th century. (in Ogorodniki) in Moscow.

Particles of the relics of St. Andrew of Crete were embedded in the Exalted Cross, 1494/95. (GMMK); Panagia-reliquary of Ivan the Terrible, 16th century. (GMMK); in Reliquary Cross, beginning. XVII century, from the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (GMMK).

Literature: Erminia DF. pp. 160, 175; Detzel. Bd. 2. S. 64; Bolshakov. The original is iconographic. pp. 39, 112; Millet, Frolow. Vol. 3. Tab. 32:3, 106:1, 107:2; Skrobucha H. Katalog Ikonenmuseum Recklinghausen. Recklinghausen, 1968. No. 266; Knoben U. // LCI. Bd. 5. Sp. 156; Mijoviz. Menologist. pp. 191, 280, 301, 373; Pravdolyubov S., prot. Great Canon of St. Andrei Kritsky: Master's degree. dis. T. 1. L. 3; T. 2. L. 2, 215; Vlasova O. M. Ancient Russian art in the collections of the Perm State. art gallery // PKNO, 1992. M., 1993; Forty forty. T. 2. P. 483, No. 87; Evseeva. Athos book. P. 315, No. 167; Belobrova O. A. Andrei Kritsky in ancient Russian literature and art // TODRL. T. 51. pp. 206–220. Il. 208; Christian relics. pp. 30, 134–136, 177–180. E. A. Lukovnikova

Lent

Deacon Mikhail Zheltov, A. A. Lukashevich, A. A. Tkachenko

(From article VII of volume “Orthodox Encyclopedia”)

In Church Slavonic - Holy and Great Lent, Holy Pentecost ; Greek Tessarakoste; lat. Quadragesima is the period of the liturgical year preceding Holy Week and Easter. Due to the fact that Easter can fall on different dates on the calendar, Lent also begins on different days every year. It includes 6 weeks, or 40 days, which is why it is also called St. Pentecostal.

The establishment of Lent in the early Church. The formation of the structure and principles of the Great Lent took several. centuries and was closely connected with the development of the church year. The origins of Great Lent should be seen in the Easter fast, which in the 2nd–3rd centuries. was performed on Easter night in memory of the Passion of the Savior (Easter itself was initially understood by Christians in two ways: as a holiday of the Resurrection and/or as a remembrance of the Passion) and stopped at dawn when the Eucharist was celebrated. The duration of this fast varied in different areas; already in the 3rd century. it could last from one day to 40 hours or a whole week. In particular, the 40-hour fast (carried out in complete abstinence from food) already combined two main meanings, which later formed the basis of Great Lent - imitation of the 40-day fast of the Savior in the desert after the Baptism in the Jordan (Matthew 4. 1-2 ; Mark 1. 12–13; Luke 4. 1–2) and preparation for the Easter holiday (see the message of the martyr Irenaeus of Lyons to Pope Victor: Euseb. Hist. eccl. 5. 24. 12–13). 6-day fast before Easter about (III century) and in the 1st canonical letter sschmch. Dionysius of Alexandria († 264/65). In Alexandrian sources, 2nd half. III–IV centuries (eg, Orig. In Lev. 10. 2; 1 right. Peter Al. († 311)) there are already references to a 40-day fast; the question remains unclear whether such a fast was initially associated with Easter or not (it was suggested that this fast arose not as a pre-Easter fast, but as a post-Epiphany fast in imitation of the fast of Christ after Baptism, and only then was attributed to Easter; however, as It is very difficult to prove or refute these assumptions).

Another source from which Great Lent arose is the pre-baptismal fast. By the 3rd century. The custom of performing the sacrament of Baptism on Easter night spread in the Church, and the practice of fasting before receiving Baptism existed in the Church back in the 1st century. (see, for example: Didache 7. 4); the pre-baptismal and pre-Easter fasts could be combined; in later sources, the stages of catechumen may be associated with some stages of the Lenten cycle.

The earliest indisputable evidence of the 40-day fast preceding Easter (including Holy Week), according to most researchers, should be considered the 2nd Feast (Easter) Epistle (330) of St. Athanasius the Great (PG. 26. Col. 1386). Lent begins 6 weeks before Easter, and the number 40 is reached by excluding Saturday and Sunday on the eve of Easter from the count of days. It is characteristic that this post in the epistles of St. Athanasia is never correlated with Christ's 40-day stay in the desert (although the fasts of Moses, David and Daniel are mentioned as prototypes), but is seen as an ascetic preparation for the Easter holiday. From a letter of 340 addressed to Bishop. Serapion of Tmuite, who St. Athanasius wrote while in exile in Rome, it is clear that this fast in Egypt was a recent establishment and was not perceived by everyone as obligatory (PG. 26. Col. 1413), while in Rome it was strictly observed and was associated with pre-baptismal preparation and, perhaps, the acceptance of penitents again into church communion (the first evidence is a letter from Pope Innocent I to Decentius, bishop of Gubbio, which speaks of the acceptance of penitents on Maundy Thursday (Ep. 25. 7 // PL. 20. Col. 559 ; see: Cabie R. La Lettre du pape Innocent Ier a Decentius de Gubbio. Louvain, 1973. P. 28–29).

A certain “Forty Day” is already mentioned in the 5th rule of the First Ecumenical Council, but what exactly the Council has in mind - Great Lent or the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord (celebrated on the 40th day after Easter) - remains unclear. The 37th law speaks in favor of the second. Apostle (S. Salaville), although some researchers believe that it was the decisions of the First Ecumenical Council that had a decisive influence on the design of the period of Lent in its modern form (R.-G. Coquin).

K con. IV – beginning V century the 40-day Lent had already been adopted everywhere in the Church, although the counting of its days was carried out in different places in its own way; The fasting rules also differed. The ancient general Christian prohibition of fasting on Sunday (and in some places on Saturday), with the appearance in the calendar of a period of long-term ascetic abstinence, gave rise to various traditions of harmonizing these regulations. Church historians of the 5th century. write: “The so-called Lent, during which many [Christians] fast, some consider it to consist of 6 weeks: this is what [those living] in Illyricum and the West, and all of Libya, and Egypt and Palestine [believe]; others - from 7: this is what those living in Constantinople and in the surrounding lands do, right up to Phenicia; others fast for 3 weeks out of 6 or 7 with absences; others - for 3 [weeks] before the holiday [Easter], and others - for 2, like [for example] the Montanists" (Sozom. Hist. eccl. VII. 19); “The fasts before Easter are observed differently in different places... in Rome they fast continuously for 3 weeks, except Saturday and the Lord's Day, and in Illyria, throughout Greece and Alexandria they fast for 6 weeks before Easter and call it Lent; others begin to fast for 7 weeks... and fast only for 3 five days... both of them, disagreeing among themselves on the number of fasting days, call the fast the same - 40 days... some refrain from eating all kinds of animals, others eat only fish, and some eat birds along with fish... some abstain even from fruits and eggs, others eat only dry bread, some do not take even that, and others, fasting until the 9th hour [of the day], then eat all kinds of food" (Socr Schol. Hist. eccl. V. 22). The obligatory nature of Lent for everyone was established by the 69th Apostle. right (the final edition of the corpus of Apostolic Rules occurred at the end of the 4th century).

Spiritual content of Great Lent. The patristic teaching about Lent is inseparable from the teaching about fasting in general. Lent is understood primarily as a time of deep repentance and is seen as a tool for achieving genuine prayer, removal from evil, quenching of passions, humility before God, spiritual growth, internal cleansing and renewal (Basil. Magn. Hom. de jejun. 1–2; Ioan. Chrysost. Contra. Jud. III. 4–5). In the IV–VI centuries. the doctrine of Great Lent is formalized as the “tithe of the year” (St. John Cassian, St. Dorotheos of Gaza), similar to the obligatory tithe in the Old Testament (Lev 27.30–32). If the length of the year is 365 days, then the “physical” fast should be 36.5 days (7 weeks without Saturdays and Sundays are 35 days, to which are added the fast of Holy Saturday and the 1st half of Easter night). During Great Lent, the importance of the necessary preparation for the celebration of Holy Week and Easter remains: “Whoever neglects the Pentecost... does not celebrate the holiday of Easter” (Easter message of St. Athanasius the Great from 346; cf.: “We will begin the Lenten season brightly... let us all see) the all-honorable passion of Christ God and Holy Pascha" - the stichera of St. Theodore the Studite on the evening of Cheese Week).

With the gradual spread in the Church of the practice of rare Communion, which reached by the 19th century. maximum development (when many received communion only once a year), Lent began to be understood as a means of preparing for the reception of the Holy Mysteries (in particular, St. John Chrysostom already taught that Lent is a time especially favorable for Communion ; fasting as a means of preparing for Communion is also spoken of in the “Prayers at the Beginning of Lent of the Holy Pentecostals,” which in modern practice of the Russian Orthodox Church are usually read on the Sunday before Lent or on the 1st day of Lent). Due to the fact that the days of Great Lent are days of repentance, the canonical rules prescribe not to perform the full liturgy on the weekdays of Great Lent (Laodicecus 49) as a service full of joy and triumph (from the 5th–6th centuries a special the rite of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which is not a full liturgy; its celebration on the weekdays of Lent was fixed in Trul. 52); it is forbidden to organize festivities in honor of the saints on the weekdays of Great Lent (their commemorations should be transferred to Saturdays and Sundays - Laodicecus 51; in later tradition, some feasts of the saints are celebrated on weekdays of Great Lent, but the charter of worship in such cases differs significantly from the order of celebrating memories saints in ordinary times of the year), celebrations of marriage (this prohibition, in particular, is manifested in the fact that marriages are not celebrated during the days of Great Lent) or birthdays (Laodice. 52). An inexhaustible source of spiritual reflections on Lent is the treasury of Orthodox hymnography.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 1

[33]

You have made the Church of Christ glad with the crown of your tongue,/ through your sweet hymns,/ with the theology of the Holy Trinity/ you have clearly spoken the glory to everyone,/ so we sing to you, like a cryptic speaker,/ Andrew, shepherd of Crete,/ and we magnify your memory, // glorifying Christ wondrous in His saints

.

Kontakion, tone 2

Having clearly sounded the Divine sweet singing,/ you appeared as the brightest lamp of the world,/ with the light of the shining Trinity, O most holy Andrei./ Moreover, we all cry out to you: // do not cease praying for us all

.

Prayer books from the Greek Menaion translated by Natalia Bakhareva [34]

Troparion, tone 5

David’s harp, Father, imitating, / in the Church of the saints you sing a new song, / like a wise teacher of the Spirit of God. / For you have thundered for us songs of grace / and the word of truth, / Andre e, glory to the fathers, // for the salvation of our souls

.

Kontakion, tone 2

Having sounded the clear divine sweet singing,/ you appeared as the most luminous lamp to the world,/ as the light of the shining Trinity, O Reverend Andrew./ Moreover, we all cry out to you: // do not cease praying for us all

.

"Savior" of the Imperial Family

Let's go back to the nineteenth century. The entire family of Alexander III had an accident on St. Andrew's Day. They were traveling on a train that derailed and overturned. More than twenty people were injured, but the entire imperial family remained intact. This story influenced the environment so much that the Church of the Venerable Martyr Andrew of Crete was built in St. Petersburg. People considered the event to be the mercy of God, which they decided to perpetuate. The church still stands today. It is not particularly noticeable, since it is included in the architectural complex of urban development. But believers visit this temple to pray to the saint. The Venerable Martyr Andrew of Crete, whose icon is in this church, as in many others, is considered a healer. The fact that his relics work miracles is stated in ancient documents.

Literature

• BHG, N 113–114c;
• Monuments of ancient Russian literature, published by gr. G. Kushelev-Bezborodko / Ed. N. Kostomarova. St. Petersburg, 1860, pp. 415–417;
• Papadopoulos-Kerameus. Analekta. T. 5. S. 169–179;
• JSV. July. pp. 69–72;
• Loparev H. Description of some Greek lives of saints, III: Life of St. Andrei Kritsky // VV. 1897. T. 4. P. 345–348;
• Latysev. Menolog. Fasc. 2. P. 136–137;
• Gudziy N.K. On the legends of Judas the traitor and Andrew of Crete // RFV. 1915. No. 1;
• Likhachev N.P. Materials for the history of Byzantine and Russian sphragistics. L., 1928;
• Book of Walking: Zap. rus. travelers of the 11th–15th centuries. M., 1984;
• Menaea (MP). July. Part 1. pp. 248–261;
• The Tale of Andrei Kritsky // PLDR: XVII century. M., 1988. Book. 1. pp. 270–274, 640–641;
• Belobrova O. A. Andrei Kritsky in ancient Russian literature // TODRL. 1999. T. 51. pp. 215–220.
• Filaret (Gumilevsky). Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church. St. Petersburg, 1859;
• Petrov N. O. On the origin and composition of the Slavic-Russian printed Prologue (foreign sources). K., 1875;
• Veselovsky A. N. Andrei Kritsky in the legend of the incestuous man and the legend of the Apostle Andrei // ZhMNP. 1885. T. 239. No. 6. P. 231–237;
• Drahomanov M.P. Slavyanskite corrections on the Yedipova history. Sofia, 1891;
• Ponomarev A. Andrey, Archbishop of Crete, St. // PBE. T. 1. Stb. 765–769;
• Heisenberg A. Ein jambisches Gedicht d. Andreas v. Kreta // BZ. 1901. Bd. 10. S. 505–514;
• Vailhe S. Saint Andre de Crete // EO. 1901/02. T. 5. P. 378–387;
• M-ov P. St. Andrew of Crete as a church hymnist // Olonetsky EV. 1902. No. 4. P. 143–149; No. 5. pp. 181–187; No. 6. pp. 221–226; No. 7. pp. 276–279; No. 8. pp. 299–302; No. 9. pp. 330–334;
• Rozhdestvensky M. St. Andrew of Crete as a church hymnist // Wanderer. 1902. March. pp. 447–472. June. pp. 1136–1141;
• Filaret. Song singers. pp. 195–200;
• Petit L. Andre de Crete // DACL. T. 1. Col. 2034–2041;
• Kolokolnikov M., priest. The Great "Canon" of St. Andrei Kritsky and his modern value // Wanderer. 1909. No. 2. P. 192–206;
• Karabinov I. Lenten Triodion. St. Petersburg, 1910. pp. 98–107;
• Mercenier E. A propos d'Andre de Crete // Tome commemoratif du millenaire de la Bibliotheque Patrarcale d'Alexandrie. Alexandrie, 1953. P. 170–178;
• Sanz P. Ein Fragment eines neuen Kanon d. Andreas v. Kreta // JOBG. 1955. Bd. 4. S. 1–11;
• Todorov T. St. Andrew of Crete - the great hymn writer // Church Herald. Sofia, 1961. No. 6;
• Budovnits I. U. Dictionary of Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian writing and literature until the 18th century. M., 1962. S. 76, 298;
• Sarafanova (Demkova) N. S. Works of Old Russian writing in the works of Avvakum // TODRL. 1962. T. 18. P. 335;
• Shiro G. Caratteristiche dei canoni di Andrea Cretese: Studi su alcune composizioni inediti del melode // Krhtik Cronik. 1963. T. 15–16. S. 113–138;
• Richard M. Le commentaire du Grand Canon d'Andre de Crete par Acace le Sabaïte // EEBS. 1965. T. 34. S. 304–311;
• Talin V. Saint Andrew, Shepherd of Crete, and his Great Penitential Canon // ZhMP. 1968. No. 2. P. 65–72;
• Ryabtsev A. The Great Canon - the school of repentance (study) // Ibid. 1969. No. 3. P. 71–76;
• Protsyuk Yu., prot. The science of repentance to the Great Canon St. Andrey Kritsky. Lviv, 1972. Republic;
• Szoverffy. Hymnography. Vol. 2. P. 6–10;
• Old Russian sewing of the 15th–18th centuries. in the State Assembly Russian Museum: Cat. vyst. / Comp. and ed. Art. L. D. Likhacheva. L., 1980;
• Klimova M.N. Experience in textual criticism of the Tale of Andrei of Crete // Old Russian manuscript book and its existence in Siberia. Novosibirsk, 1982, pp. 46–61;
• she is the same. The Tale of Andrei Kritsky and folklore (some aspects of comparative analysis) // Manuscript tradition of the 16th–19th centuries in the east of Russia. M., 1983. S. 27–39;
• NKS. T. 3. P. 512–513;
• Pravdolyubov S., protod. Great Canon of St. Andrei Kritsky: History. Poetics. Theology: Master. dis. / MDA. M., 1987. T. 1–2 [Bibliography. and list of op.];
• Schwartz E.M. Novgorod manuscripts of the 15th century: Kodikol. research RKP. Sofia-Novgorod collection State Public library. M.; L., 1989. P. 29;
• Vlasova O. M. Ancient Russian art in the collections of the Perm State. Art Gallery // PKNO, 1992. M., 1993;

Literature on iconography

• Erminia DF. pp. 160, 175;
• Detzel. Bd. 2. S. 64;
• Bolshakov. The original is iconographic. pp. 39, 112;
• Millet, Frolow. Vol. 3. Tab. 32:3, 106:1, 107:2;
• Skrobucha H. Katalog Ikonenmuseum Recklinghausen. Recklinghausen, 1968. No. 266;
• Knoben U. // LCI. Bd. 5. Sp. 156;
• Mijoviz. Menologist. pp. 191, 280, 301, 373;
• Pravdolyubov S., prot. Great Canon of St. Andrei Kritsky: Master's degree. dis. T. 1. L. 3; T. 2. L. 2, 215;
• Vlasova O. M. Ancient Russian art in the collections of the Perm State. art gallery // PKNO, 1992. M., 1993;
• Forty forty. T. 2. P. 483, No. 87;
• Evseeva. Athos book. P. 315, No. 167;
• Belobrova O. A. Andrei Kritsky in ancient Russian literature and art // TODRL. T. 51. pp. 206–220. Il. 208;
• Christian relics. pp. 30, 134–136, 177–180.

Serving God in the rank of archpastor

The glory of Father Andrei's exploits and his personal qualities, such as mercy, eloquence, and a sense of responsibility, led to him being consecrated Archbishop of Crete during the reign of Emperor Justinian II. While occupying this position, Saint Andrew devoted a lot of time and energy to the struggle for the purity of the Orthodox faith. In addition, on his archpastoral initiative and with his personal assistance, new churches were erected, almshouses and shelters were organized.

Devoting himself to the work of serving and pleasing God, the saint became famous as a great man of prayer. It is reported that one day the result of his prayers was the salvation of the city of Drumeos from the Saracens besieging it, who, having failed to achieve success, were forced to retreat shamefully. Another time, during a drought that threatened the population with crop failure, through his prayer rain fell on the soil.

It is believed that the archpastor lived to be very gray. Already at a respectable age, he went to Constantinople out of church necessity. On the way back, having reached Mytilene, he fell ill and soon died. There is evidence that this happened in a place called Ieris, in 712. Meanwhile, other sources date the time of his death to 740. They say that the saint foresaw his death in advance.