Saint Andrew of Crete is glorified among the saints of the Orthodox Church as an outstanding saint. This great righteous man lived in the 6th-7th centuries from the birth of Christ.
Orthodox believers know Saint Andrew of Crete as a great devotee of piety and prayer before God. Through his life, the righteous man has shown an example of meekness, humility and virtue. The liturgical life of the Church still preserves, perhaps, the main written work of the saint - the Great Canon of Penitence.
The first week of Great Lent
The Great Penitential Canon is an outstanding liturgical work, composed of 250 penitential troparions, reflecting the prayerful appeal of a sinned person to God with sincere repentance. In the texts of the prayers of the canon, biblical Old Testament prototypes are cited, showing the full depth of a person's possible sinfulness.
The reading of this canon was prescribed by the Church during the Holy Great Lent. On the first week of the Forty Day (in the first four days), this canon is read by the priest during the evening service. The priest reads the canon in the center of the church at the beginning of Lenten observance. Between the troparions of the work, prostrations are laid.
The entire liturgical work of St. Andrew of Crete in the first week of Lent is divided into four parts.
Thursday of the fifth week of Great Lent
During the Great Lent Divine Service, the penitential canon of Andrew of Crete is read in full in the church on Thursday of the fifth week of the Forty-day period, when the Church honors the memory of St. Mary of Egypt. Taking into account that the liturgical day begins on the evening before the event, the penitential canon is read on Thursday morning on Wednesday evening of the fifth week.
The service of this day received a special name - Mary's standing. When the Church honors the outstanding penitential deed of St. Mary of Egypt, the Great Canon of St. Andrew is the best fit for the prayerful repentance of a person for his sins.
