Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete

St. Andrew lived in the 8th century and was born of pious parents. At the age of 15 he went to Jerusalem and served the Patriarchate of Jerusalem as a reader and monk. He participated in the Sixth Ecumenical Synod and after that he was ordained a deacon in Constantinople and appointed director of the orphanage. A few years later he became Archbishop of Crete. In 740 he travelled to Constantinople for various issues. In his return, however, while travelling by ship, he died and was buried in Eressos of Mytilene, at the Sacred Church of St. Anastasia. He wrote the Great Canon, the nine odes. It is called Great because of its size and for its high spiritual content. The Great Canon is chanted during the period of Holy and Great Lent and includes events from both the Old and New Testaments. His feast day is on July 4.