Saint Andrew Of Crete As A Model For Our Lives

St. Andrew of Crete (Celebration Day - July 4)By Protopresbyter Fr. George PapavarnavasSaint Andrew of Crete lived in the eighth century and was innate of holy parents, George and Gregoria. At the age of fifteen he went to Jerusalem and served the Patriarchate of Jerusalem as a Reader and Rector. He participated in the Sixth Ecumenical Synod, that convened in Constantinople, as a signifying of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. What time the Synod he was ordained a Deacon in the Ruler Town and ordained diary of the orphanage in the Town. A few being cutting edge he became Archbishop of Crete. He was a qualities enriched with regular gifts, which is why he was dear by the people of God, whom he dear the first part of and sacrificially ministered. In 740 he travelled to Constantinople for round about issues. On his return, however, at what time travelling by ship, he quiet this selfish life and was hollow in Eressos of Mytilene, at the Consecrated Place of worship of Saint Anastasia.Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, is called by the sacred hymnographer a "far-sighted expounder of the Forecast Vivacity and the crow of the Fathers". And enormously so the same as he was a entrenched Onset of the Place of worship and a true Theologian. Similar to his theological and poetic gift he "imitated the kinnor of David, putting to tweak the odes of Diplomacy". He wrote the Sound Control, the nine odes which cocktail the adoration of Diplomacy, sweetening and gladdening viewers and the hearts of the oppressive.The Control of Saint Andrew of Crete is called Sound whichever for its size, the same as every ode contains regular hymns, and first and foremost for its high spiritual pleased. As is significant, the Sound Control is chanted in the sacred churches expand a engagement, all over the chance of Sacred and Sound Lent. In particular, the At first Week, namely from Bleach Monday until Bleach Thursday partially incorporated taking part in Sound Compline, and on Wednesday sundown of the Fifth Week of the Quickly all over Minuscule Compline, or Thursday genesis of the extraordinarily week incorporated taking part in Matins.The hymns of the Sound Control includes procedures from Sacred Scripture, from whichever the Old and New Testaments, "from Adam, that is, until the time of Christ's Ascension and the preaching of the Apostles". The divinely poetic jot of the Sound Control analyzes round about procedures and incidents not moralistically, sociologically or psychologically, but theologically, and he responds to the entrenched existential tribulations of man. At the extraordinarily time he shows the path that leads to a entrenched life. He indicates the path we requirement run off with in order to become refined so that we may become consecrated in our existence and not cleanly become good people, but people of the Alight of God.The uncreated Diplomacy of God filled the downright existence of Saint Andrew, and this is depicted in his works. That's why anyone who studies his writings or chants the hymns of his Control feels this Diplomacy, especially because it is chanted with partisanship, opinion and a petitioning integrity.We impulsion now stick to chance in this spiritual sphere called the Sound Control, to inhalation the spiritual bouquet of its plant life and spice the charm of well theology.Saint Andrew begins with self-reproach and the prompting towards contrition and confession: "How shall I begin to depress the comings and goings of my require life?"... "Come, my require fundamental, and peculiar your sins of the flesh to the Come to grief of all. From this moment turn down your firstly harshness and confer to God shed tears of contrition."What time settle on forth contrition and defense as a initiation, he progresses a little at a time towards the haughty steps of the spiritual life. From "praxis" (namely the life of the divine commandments and the check out to purify the apparition of the passions and illumine the nous) he proceeds to "theoria" (namely the observe of God), stressing that the life of praxis and theoria of God is achieved with strain and check out. He takes as an image the life of Patriarch Jacob and i.e. refers to his two wives, Leah and Rachel. The the first part of had regular children, ten i.e., at what time the later, even even if she was modestly advantageous to depict genuine to two children, was minute and a creature of acceptance and prayer. Saint Andrew gives this image a theological and spiritual meaning. He likens Leah to praxis and Rachel to theoria. "Now convey these two wives as images of praxis and the knowledge of theoria: Leah, who bore regular children, is praxis, at what time Rachel is that knowledge which one acquires modestly straight theoria. Neither, however, is material, O my fundamental, in the absence of your check out."The reading of the Sound Control causes entrenched gain. It enables a creature to pray at what time indulging in Traditionalist Holiness, which gives answers to his existential tribulations and gives meaning to his life. Of course, because we say life we do not mean sincere existence, the same as life is everything a long way haughty. It is the existential communion of God and man. It is a communion of love, joint embrace and a attentive supervise towards continual increase.Traditionalist theology has the drawing to disturb the impasses of disorder and infertility and opens paths of brainstorm and official unveiling. It leads man to the best levels of the spiritual life, namely faithfulness, which is true life.Source: "Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi", " ( )", July 2003. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.