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Blessed Andrew loved God's Church and the Holy [[Scripture]]s and he had a strong desire to devote himself totally to [[God]]. He took upon himself a very difficult and unusual [[ascetic]] feat of [[fool-for-Christ]]; that is, he acted as if he were insane.
Seeming to be insane, Andrew was brought to the St. Anastasia Church for his care. There St. [[Anastasia the Deliverer from Potions|Anastasia]]appeared to him in a dream and encouraged him to continue his ascetic feat. He was driven off the church property because of his faked madness and had to live on the streets of the capital city, hungry and half-naked. For many years the saint endured mockery, insults, and beatings. He begged for [[alms]] and gave them away to the poor. The beggars to whom he gave his last coins despised him, but St. Andrew endured all his sufferings humbly and [[prayer|prayed]] for those who hurt him.
St. Andrew's holy wisdom and extraordinary spiritual beauty were revealed when he removed his mask of folly. This occurred when talking to his [[spiritual father]], a [[presbyter]] of [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia]] Church, or to his [[disciple]] Epiphanus.
While praying at the Blachernae church, it was St. Andrew who, with his [[disciple]], the Blessed Epiphanius, saw the [[Theotokos|Most Holy Mother of God]], holding her veil over those praying [[Protection of the Mother of God|under her Protection]]. The Church [[synaxarion]] states that upon seeing this vision, St. Andrew turned to his companion and asked: "Do you see, brother, the Holy Theotokos, praying for all the world?" Epiphanius answered, "I do see, holy Father, and I am in awe."
Blessed Andrew died in the year 936 at the age of 66.
==Hymns==
