Blessed Andrew, Fool for Christ (+936)

The blessed Andrew, fool for Christ, was a Slav. Taken captive in early youth, the boy was bought by a wealthy man of Constantinople, Theognostus, who had him educated in the Greek language and sciences. The blessed one loved Christ, was distinguished by humility and obedience, prayed often and thought about the salvation of his soul. He read the Lives of the saints diligently, and at last was kindled with the desire to imitate them. Once, in a vision in his sleep, Andrew saw two armies: one of young men clothed in light, the other of hideous demons black as pitch. An angel of the Lord, holding wonderful crowns in his hand, said to the saint: “These crowns are not ornaments of this world but heavenly treasure. The Lord gives them to those who overcome the dark host,” and then commanded him: “Take up the labour pleasing to God, take on thyself foolishness for the name of Christ, and a rich reward shall be given thee in the Kingdom.” From that day Andrew began to go about the streets of the city in rags, like a madman. At night the fool stood at prayer and commended to the Lord himself, those who insulted him and the whole Christian world. So many years went by. For his unwearying labours God sent down on His chosen one the grace of prophecy and insight. At that time there lived in the city a devout and ascetic monk who had been seized by love of money. He had settled near the market in the hope that his spiritual children, coming out to trade, would not come to him empty-handed. God revealed to the fool for Christ the true face of this father: He showed him a hideous serpent coiled round his neck. Filled with grief, the saint shortly afterwards went humbly to the monk, rebuked him with love and said to him: “Your soul had wings like a seraph’s; why have you let the evil one clip them? You were clothed in the image of an angel; why have you made yourself like the devil? Why do you gather treasure; will you be buried with it? When you unceasingly collect silver from your spiritual children and rejoice in it, you gather their sins upon your own head. How will you stand before Christ with such a heavy load? Give your treasure away to the poor, the orphans, the widows and strangers, or you will perish. Do you see the demon?” At these words the monk’s spiritual eyes were opened, and he saw standing in the corner of the room a black giant like a beast, gnashing its teeth. The monk trembled with fear and could barely say: from now on I will live only by the Lord’s commandments. As soon as he had said these words, lightning flashed in the east, the evil spirit vanished, and a smiling angel came to the monk. By his fearless rebukes the saint saved from ruin many more who had gone astray and were enslaved to sin.

While praying in the church of Blachernae, Andrew the Fool was counted worthy to see with his own eyes the Mother of God spreading her veil over the worshippers gathered there (see the reading for 1 October). The Lord’s chosen one died in 936.