JULY 4

Day 4: Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete (Greek Island).

This Saint, Andrew, was born in Damascus toward the beginning of the seventh century, in a devout family. He was brought up according to moral and theological teaching of the Church, in the love of virtue and the fear of God. He then, traveled to Jerusalem, where he lived near its patriarch Theodoretus, who ordained him a subdeacon, and assigned him as his private secretary. Andrew proved to be good in serving the Church there and in managing his job.

When the sixth Ecumenical Council of Constantinople was held in the year 681, Patriarch Theodoretus dispatched Andrew his secretary to attend it, because he trusted his skills, knowledge and virtue. There Andrew, participated with the Council’s 174 fathers, in condemning the monotheist heresy and its followers, which says that in Jesus there but only one will, and signed down with them the creed that confirmed that in Jesus Christ there are two [human and divine] wills, and two full natures.

After he turned back to Jerusalem, the Patriarch ordained him a deacon, and entrusted him the care of the orphans in his diocese; which he did superbly, showing great compassion toward the poor. His fame as a holy learned man, caused him to be elected the bishop of Crete Island; where he went and served his flock with an ardent zeal, always doing his best to serve their spiritual needs, until he died in the Lord in the year 720. May his prayers be with us. Amen.