Andrew of Crete

Full biography Andrew of Crete

Andrew of Crete was a prominent composer and hymnographer in the Eastern Orthodox Church during the 7th and 8th centuries. He was born in the city of Damascus around the year 660, but his family moved to the island of Crete shortly after his birth. Andrew was ordained as a deacon in Jerusalem, where he underwent extensive training in the art of hymnography.

Andrew of Crete is best known for his compositions of the Great Canon of Repentance, which is still sung in the Orthodox Church during Lent. This work is a complex and lengthy piece, consisting of 250 odes and over 3000 lines. It's considered one of the greatest spiritual masterpieces of all time due to its depth and poetic beauty.

In addition to the Great Canon of Repentance, Andrew composed many other hymns and chants, including the Palm Sunday hymn, "Behold the Bridegroom," which is still sung in the Orthodox Church to this day. He was regarded as a master of the liturgical arts and his work had a significant impact on the development of Orthodox Church music.

Andrew of Crete passed away in the year 740 in Constantinople, but his legacy lived on through his compositions, which are still an integral part of Orthodox worship. Despite being among the earliest hymnographers of the Orthodox tradition, Andrew's work continues to inspire and uplift believers around the world to this day.