St. Pachomius Library

St. Andrew of Crete, Archbishop of Gortyna

VII/VIII Centuries
St. Andrew of Crete (c. 660-740), whose "Great Canon" the Orthodox pray during Lent, was born in Damascus. He became a monk at Mar Saba and served later at the Holy Sepulchre. Around 685, he was ordained a deacon at Hagia Sophia. He also ran a refuge that took in orphans and cared for the elderly. He ended his days as Archbishop of Gortyna, a position to which he was elevated in 692, on the island of Crete. He wrote homilies that display great oratorical skill, as well as panegyrics to the saints. Some say that he invented the canon.
Karen Rae Keck
Under construction --- far from complete! Read with caution.

ABOUT:

From St. John's Cathedral
Catholic Patron Saints Index:
1912 Catholic Encyclopedia: (Read with caution)
Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, p. 92.

WORKS:
- Orationes:
  
  Collections:
  
  Homilias Marianas. Spanish translation by Guillermo Pons Pons of St. Andrew's homilies on the Theotokos. Madrid: Ciudad Nueva, 1995.
  Omelie Mariane. Italian translation by Vittorio Fazzo of St. Andrew's homilies on the Theotokos. Rome: Città Nuova, 1987.
  
  In Nativitatem B. M. V. 1-4 (Four Homilies on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary). PG 97:805, 819, 843, 861.
  In Annunciationem. PG 97:881.
  In Circumcisionem Domini, et in S. Basilium. PG 97:913.
  In Transfigurationem Domini. PG 97:931.
  In Lazarum quatriduanum. PG 97:959.
  In Ramos Palmarum (On the Palm Branches). PG 97:985.
  In Exaltationem S. Crucis, 2 (Two Homilies on the Exaltation of the Holy Cross). PG 97:1017, 1035.
  In Dormitionem S. Mariæ, 3. PG 97:1045, 1071, 1089.
  
  Ono Ekeh: Certain Features of Mary in Andrew of Crete's Homilies on Her Dormition. Apparently removed from site. --- Saint Martin Gifts
  
  In S. Joannis Decollationem (On the Beheading of St. John the Baptist). PG 97:1109.
  In Apostolem Titum. PG 97:1141.
  In S. Georgium. PG 97:1169.
  In S. Nicolaum. PG 97:1191.
  In S. Patapium. PG 97:1205 & 1235.
  In Publicanum et Pharisæum. PG 97:1255.
  De Humana Vita et de Defunctis (On Human Life and on the Departed). PG 97:1267.
- Canones:
  
  In B. Annæ Conceptionem (On the Blessed Anne's Conceiving). PG 97:1305.
  In B. Mariæ Natalem (On the Birth of the Blessed Mary). PG 97:1315.
  Magnus Canon. PG 97:1329.
  
  Velikij Kanon. Traditional Slavonic translation. Jordanville: Job of Pochaev, 1966.
  The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, Complete and in Lenten Subdivisions. Translator not indicated. --- Monachos
  The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. Translated by Sister Katherine and Mother Thekla. Newport Pagnell: Gk. Orth. Mon. of the Assumption, 1974.
  The Great Canon. Translated by Derwas Chitty. London: SS. Alban and Sergius, 1966.
  The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, surnamed the Jerusalemite. Translated by Lady Lechmere. London: Trübner, 1875. Probably the only out-of-copyright translation. Currently extremely rare, but there is a copy in the Oxford University library, which means there will be an online version in the near future.
  Pr-a Frederica Mathewes-Green: First Fruits of Prayer -- A 40-Day Journey through the Canon of St. Andrew, (2006). Orleans, Mass.: Paraclete, 2006.
  Fr. Victor Potapov: At the Beginning of the Journey through Great Lent. --- St. John's ROCOR Cathedral
  
  In Lazarum. PG 97:1385.
  Triodia Majoris Hebdomæ (Triodia of Holy Week). PG 97:1399.
  Canon in Mediam Pentecosten (Mid-Pentecost). PG 97:1421.
  Idiomela 1-6. PG 97:1433.
  Iambi ad Agathonem (Iambic Verses to Agatho). PG 97:1437.
  Fragments of Lost Canons:
  
  Peter Sanz: Ein Fragment eines neuen Kanon der Andreas von Kreta -- Pap. Græc. Vindob. 31956, (1955). Vienna: Rohrer, 1955.
- De Cyclo Solari et Lunari. PG 19:1329.
- De SS. Imaginum Veneratione. (On the Veneration of the Holy Ikons) PG 97:1301.
- Misc. Hymns.
  
  Christian, dost thou see them on the holy ground? "They" being the forces of evil and temptation. Translated in rhyme by John Mason Neale and set as a Protestant hymn by John B. Dykes. --- Cyberhymnal
- Disputed Authorship:
  
  Vita et Martyrium S. Jacobi Apost. Frat. Dom.:
  
  Un Éloge de Jacques, le frère du Seigneur. Greek text with French translation by Noret and Gaspart. Toronto: IPEM, 1978.

2006/05 Annunciation; Anthropology; Astronomy; St. Basil; Beheading of St. John; Circumcision; Death; Exaltation of Cross; St. George; Holy Week; Ikons; St. James; Lazarus; Nativity of Theotokos; St. Nicholas; Palm Sunday; St. Patapius; Pharisee and Publican; St. Titus; Transfiguration;
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