The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (or Canon of Repentance) is a liturgical hymn prayed during the first week of Great Lent, and in its entirety on the fifth Thursday of Great Lent. It fosters a rich meditation on countless biblical examples of sin and repentance.
Of note, this is the longest service in our tradition and involves a large number of prostrations. This can be physically taxing and naturally, this may not be feasible for all. All are nonetheless invited to come and pray the Great Canon!
More Detailed Description:
We also know this service as the Poklony (Prostrations) Service since in its entirety there are some 350 profound bows to the ground. The service symbolizes the spirit of penance during Lent in our Eastern Church.
There is no other sacred hymn which compares with this monumental work, which St Andrew wrote for his personal meditations. The canon is a dialog between St. Andrew and his soul. The ongoing theme is an urgent exhortation to change one’s life. In this hymn, all the events in Scripture involving humankind are made personal. The scenes of the Bible pass in front of us and we relive them deeply. The story of creation, the fall and redemption become the story of my creation, my fall and my redemption. The Canon brings us into Scripture and uses powerful imagery to help us realize the depth of our sin. We realize how far we are from Christ and we are moved to repentance.
During the canon, we sing Tropars that honour St. Mary of Egypt and St. Andrew of Crete. St. Mary of Egypt led a very sinful life before repenting on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Afterwards, she went into the desert where she spent the rest of her life in prayer and sorrow for her sins. She is an example to us and inspires us to conversion, sorrow and atonement for sin. St. Andrew of Crete was the archbishop of a city on the island of Crete. He was a gifted preacher, writer and poet who composed many church hymns and canons, including the Great Canon. (https://sspp.ca/our-faith/liturgical-services-and-prayers/the-great- canon-of-st-andrew/)