The Hieromartyr Andrew of Crete lived during the reign of the iconoclast emperor Constantine Kopronymos (741-775), who ordered Christians, under penalty of death, to remove the holy icons from their churches and homes. Believers, who fearlessly resisted the impious iconoclast, and held firmly to the traditions of the holy Fathers, were locked in prison. When the venerable Andrew heard that the emperor was throwing virtuous and pious Christians into prison instead of thieves and robbers, he went to the Church of the Great Martyr Mamas (September 2) in Constantinople and in front of everyone, denounced the heretic for persecuting the true Faith.
In an attempt to justify himself the emperor said that it was folly to bestow veneration on wood and paint. To this the monk replied that whoever suffers for holy icons suffers for Christ, but whoever reviles the icon upon which Christ is depicted, offers insult to Christ Himself. The enraged iconoclast gave orders to torture St Andrew without mercy.
As he was being dragged through the streets to the place of execution, someone cut off the saint's feet. As a result, St Andrew was freed from his torments by death. A hundred years later a Canon was written to the saint by St Joseph the Hymnographer (April 4). The saint heals those afflicted with seizures.
Troparion - Tone 4
Trained in asceticism on the mountain,
with the weapon of the Cross you destroyed the spiritual assaults of the hostile powers, all-blessed one;
Again you bravely prepared for combat
and slew Copronymus with the sword of faith;
for both struggles you have been crowned by God, monk-martyr Andrew of eternal memory.
Kontakion - Tone 3
Today the Queen of cities
celebrates the radiant feast of your light-bearing memory,
and invites every city and country to join her.
She rejoices for she has gained a great treasure:
your body which sustained many struggles, martyr Andrew, beacon of Orthodoxy.
