Blessed Andrew, Fool-for-Christ, at Constantinople

Andrew is known from a long Life that places him in Constantinople under Emperor Leo VI the Wise (886–912). It says he was a Slav slave in the house of a man named Theognostus, who had him educated; after a dream, Andrew began to live as a holy fool, sleeping in the streets, half-naked and mocked, and praying through the nights.

The Life tells that during a night vigil at the Blachernae church he and his disciple Epiphanius saw the Mother of God spread her veil over the people; this vision became the basis of the feast of the Protection. Tradition dates his death to c. 936. Many scholars think the Life was written in the 10th century and doubt that Andrew was a historical person.