Wednesday, April 10 Holy Bishop Ioan Casian celebrated the service of the Canon of St. Andrew the Critean at St. George's Cathedral in St-Hubert. Parents Traian Constantin Petre was present.

His Grace started his homily saying:

In the fifth week, the canon of St. Andrew of Crete is uttered in its entirety. Already the length of its recitation compared to the first week of the Great Lent shows the progress made by the man who followed the path of fasting and asceticism.

The dialogue that we see in the text of the canon is between the soul and God, between humanity and godhead. Though read centuries later, the one who goes through it has the feeling of solidarity with all those who have lived through time. It is a dialogue of the man present to his epoch, who remains in full solidarity with the fall of the Old Testament righteous. Through the grace of God they have succeeded in transforming these falls into moments of knowing the way of God, the power of His gracious helping and strengthening spiritually.

The dialogue also passes through the memory of the Holy Mother of God, the Holy Apostles, St. Mary of Egypt, and St. Andrew of Crete who are the representatives of the New Testament times, the time of grace and truth. The text of St. Andrew's canon reveals man in his historical unity throughout human history.

The refrain of 'Have mercy on me, o God, have on mercy me' is the cry of man from the depth of the darkness of sin and from the remoteness from God that has the hope of divine help. The repentance expresses in it is a stairway that connects the sky with the earth.

The answers at strana were given by Valentin Botu.