On the seventeenth of this month [October], we commemorate the Holy Venerable Martyr Andrew who is in Krisi.
Verses
One of the two legs of Andrew was cut off,
Bringing to an end the path of your contest.
The renowned Andrew flourished during the reign of Emperor Constantine Copronymos (741-775), and was born and raised in Crete, which is more well-ordered than the other islands. He was the son of pious and virtuous parents, and having been raised well, he became a fervent worker of the commandments of God as a monastic. Seeing the flock of Christ utterly destroyed by the wicked-minded heresy of iconoclasm, for this reason he came to Constantinople, and standing before the emperor, he rebuked him for his impiety. With boldness he spoke the following words of truth: namely that the holy icons should be venerated. Unable to endure this boldness the emperor cut off the speech of the Saint, and ordered those who stood beside him to arrest him. They came upon him with heavy and murderous hands, some taking him by the head while others took him by the hands, some by his outer garment while others by his inner garment. Thus with much violence and dishonor, to make it appear they were doing a favor to the tyrant who ordered this, they threw him to the ground, whose intellect was higher and above the earth. And the beasts did not cease pulling at the blessed one and beating him, until the emperor, after the boldness of the athlete faced enough justice, ordered his release.
After this the Saint once again showed in many and various ways that holy icons should be venerated and honored. He also said the following: "You emperors with terrible punishments discipline those who dishonor your royal statues, as if they were dishonoring yourselves; how much divine wrath and discipline therefore do you suppose will you receive who insult the icon of the Master Christ?" This inflamed the tyrant, and he immediately ordered for the Saint to be stripped of his clothing. And having bound him strongly with ropes, he was beaten until the floor of the ground was red with the blood of the Martyr. Because the brave combatant was not persuaded either with gifts or flatteries nor even the threats of greater torments, the renowned one was again beaten with great savageness. They dug into his sides and struck his mouth, then they cast him into prison.
On the next day the Saint once again stood before the tyrant. And because he resisted him with greater boldness, his flesh was scraped all over and utterly destroyed from the wounds. Lastly, he was tied with ropes by his feet, and the blessed one was dragged along the ground in the midst of the entire marketplace. Those who dragged him decided to cast him in the place of condemned criminals. At that time, while the Saint was being dragged, a man who had just caught some fish brought them to the marketplace to sell them. Moved by a wild demon, he grabbed a cleaver which butchers use to cut meat, and striking one of the legs of the Saint, he killed him and ceased the path of the contest of the Martyr, sending his blessed soul to the eternal mansions.
His honorable relic was cast in the place reserved for the wicked and murderers, and remained there for some time amid the dead bodies of criminals. Then twelve demon possessed men came from various parts of Constantinople, as if in unison, and together they went and took the holy relic, and buried him in a sacred place, which is known as Krisi ("Judgment"). And for having found and buried him, they were liberated from the demons.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thou wast trained in asceticism on the mountain, and didst then destroy the hosts of evil spirits with the weapon of the Cross. Thou didst courageously destroy Copronymos with the sword of faith. As monk and martyr thou wast crowned by God, O venerable and glorious Andrew.
Kontakion in the Third Tone
The Church is celebrating the glorious feast, of thine illustrious memory, and is inviting all the faithful. She rejoices to hold the treasure of thy much-afflicted body, O Andrew, light of Orthodoxy.
