“Where shall I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? How do I begin, O Christ, my present lamentatión?” (Canon)
The conscientious and faithful observance of the Great Fast to the very end demands from every Christian great strength of spirit and will. Holy Church, desiring that we finish our fasting as zealously as we began it, proposes certain special devotions designed to induce us to fast and do penance during the Forty Days Fast. The observance of the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross as well as those of Matins with Prostrations provide these inducements. The Sixth Ecumenical Council decreed that this Matins service, in which the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete occupies the central place, be celebrated on Thursday of the fifth week of the Great Fast. Customarily, however, this celebration takes place on Wednesday evening.
A special feature of this service is the triple bow pre-scribed after every troparion of every Ode of the Canon by the Typicon. According to the custom of the Ukrainian Church, however, only one profound bow to the ground occurs. In all, 250 prostrations or profound bows are prescribed. For this reason, the Ukrainians call this Matins service simply “Prostrations”. More than any other, perhaps, this service symbolizes the spirit of penance in our Eastern Church.
To enable the reader to develop a better understanding of this penitential service, a few words shall be devoted to the history and spiritual significance of this canon.
What Do We Mean by the Word ‘Canon’ in General?
A significant portion of every matins service is arranged according to definite rules. For this reason, this section of the morning service is called ‘canon’, a Greek word meaning “rule”, “measure”, and “norm”.
Biblical hymns are the basis of the canon which includes nine odes, the second of which, because of its penitential nature, occurs only during the time of the Great Fast. The originator of the canon is generally believed to be St. Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem (+638). At first, the canons were small in content because they consisted of two or three odes. Each ode has an irmos and several verses called tro- parions. The number of troparions in an ode varies and may be any number from two or three to over ten. St. Andrew of Crete was the first to compose canons consisting of nine odes.
The Author of the Great Canon
St. Andrew of Crete wrote the Great Canon. Who is he and what did he contribute to the Church? St. Andrew was a native of Damascus in Asia Minor. As a young man he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and there in the year 678, he entered the monastery of St. Sabbas. His piety and keen intellect drew the attention of Theodore, Patriarch of Jerusalem; as a result, the Patriarch made him his secretary. St. Andrew, acting as the representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, participated in the Sixth Ecumenical Council, that met at Constantinople. After the Council he served for a time as a deacon at the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople and had care of the orphans. Later the Patriarch of Constantinople consecrated him archbishop of the city of Gortyn on the Island of Crete. For this reason, he is called St. Andrew of Crete. The date of his death is uncertain. Some writers give the year 712 as the date of his death; others give 740. His memory is celebrated in the Eastern Church on the fourth of July.
St. Andrew distinguished himself as an excellent preacher, church writer and poet. He composed many church hymns, sticheras and especially canons, of which the Great Canon is the most prominent.
The Characteristic Features of the Great Canon
This canon bears the title “Great” not only because of its truly vast content, for it has as many as 250 troparions, but also because of its profound reflections, deep penitential spirit, and its moral and ascetical significance. The protracted and sad singing of the irmoses and troparions of the canon, along with the many prostrations, imparts to the entire service a profoundly penitential mood. For this reason, the synaxary of this day justifiably says that “it is indeed of all the canons the most sublime”, and goes on to point out that it “is so grand and melodious that it is capable of moving the most hardened heart, and of inspiring it with great courage.” Already the opening troparions of the canon induce a serious and prayerful mood:
“Where do I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? How do I begin, O Christ, my present lamentation? But You, O Merciful One, forgive me my offenses.”
“Go, wretched soul along with your body and confess to the Creator of all. In the future leave your past foolishness and bring to God tears of repentance.” (Ode I).
A good or bad example has great influence upon each and everyone of us. For this reason, St. Andrew sets before us many examples and events of the Old and New Testaments, beginning with Adam and Eve to the Ascension of Christ. Using these examples and events he reconstructs the whole history of the fall, the conversion and the contrition of every soul:
“I brought before you, my soul, all the figures of the Old Testament as examples. Imitate the words of the righteous which are pleasing to God, and flee from the sins of the wicked.”
In the ninth Ode he says: “I am bringing before you my soul, examples from the New Testament, to lead you to sorrow of heart. Emulate, then, the righteous, avoid sinners, and regain Christ’s grace by prayers, fasts, purity and reverence.”
The scenes of the Bible pass before our eyes as though on a picture screen, and we then relive them deeply as though they were part of our own life:
“Like the thief I cry to you: ‘Remember me!’ Like Peter I weep bitterly, ‘Forgive me, O Saviour. Like the publican I plead; and like the adultress I weep. Accept my lamentation as You once accepted the lamentations of the Chanaanite woman.” (Ode 8)
“Like David I have fallen through wantonness and have defiled myself; may I wash myself with tears also, O Saviour. Like the courtesan, I cry to You: ‘I have sinned, against You alone I have sinned. Accept my tears as perfume, O Saviour.” (Ode 2)
The repentant soul senses his approaching end and God’s Judgment at the very door, and it fears the punishment it deserves:
“The end is drawing near, my soul, it is drawing near! But you neither care nor prepare. The time is growing short, Rise! The Judge is near, at the very doors. Like a dream, like a flower, our life passes; why do you bustle about in vain?” (Ode 4)
“The Lord at one time rained down fire from heaven upon Sodom and destroyed the people because of their terrible sins. But you, my soul, kindled the fire of hell, in which you are about to be tortured.” (Ode 2)
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me, I implore you, when you come with your angels to reward us all according to our deeds.” (Ode 3)
One can truly say that in every troparion of the canon we engage in sincere dialogue with our soul and with our Creator. The Great Canon resembles a detailed examination of conscience before death and a sincere confession, covering the whole life of each contrite person:
“There is no sin, or act or vice in life that I have not committed, O Saviour. I have sinned in thought, word, deed and desire as no one else ever did.” (Ode 4)
“I confess to you, O Christ my King: I have sinned, I have sinned, like Joseph’s brothers, who sold the fruit of purity and innocence.” (Ode 5)
“I have confessed to You, my Judge, the secrets of my heart. Behold my humility and also my distress, Judge me now. Have pity on me, for You alone are merciful, O God of our Fathers.” (Ode 7)
“The profound moral strength and significance of the Great Canon lies precisely in the fact, that while leading us to meditate on our own sins, it does not plunge us into despair and hopelessness, but after inducing sincere sorrow and contrition, it consoles us, lifts us up, inspires us with hope, and points out to us a sure means of salvation the mercy of God and the intercession of the most Pure Virgin Mary:
“Although I have sinned, O Saviour, I know You are the Lover of mankind. You punish with love and You show mercy graciously. You see my tears and You hasten to me like the father of the Prodigal Son.” (Ode I)
“You are the Good Shepherd; therefore, seek me, your lamb, and do not despise me, although I have gone astray.” (Ode 3)
“Spare, O God, spare your creature. I have sinned, forgive me, for You alone are pure by nature. No one is without sin, except You alone.” (Ode 5)
“O Mother of God, hope and Mediatrix of those who call upon you, relieve me of the heavy yoke of sin, and as our Lady most pure, accept me who repent.” (Ode I)
At the end of each ode of the canon, two troparions honor the venerable Mary of Egypt. Later, another author added a third troparion in honor of St. Andrew of Crete.
The Sixth Ecumenical Council prescribed that at this Matins service of the Great Canon, the biography of the venerable Mary of Egypt (+521), written by St. Sophronius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, be read. Venerable Mary of Egypt was born in Alexandria, Egypt. For years she led a sinful life until, during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, she repented of her sinful life and was converted, and retired into the desert where she spent the rest of her life in prayer, sorrowing for her sins and atoning for them. The Church commemorates her on the first of April.
The reading of her life during the matins service is designed, as is the entire Great Canon, to give us an inspiring example of conversion, sorrow and atonement for sin. On the fifth Sunday of Lent the memory of this same Saint is recalled.