Erin FoxAdvent will be here soon and the first Sunday of Advent will be followed by the feast day of St Andrew on Monday, November 30. Although he is most well known for being patron saint of Scotland, St Andrew is also patron saint of Russia, Romania and Barbados. As well as being patron saint of several countries, St Andrew’s patronage also extends to fishermen, singers and sore throats.
There are not many known traditions surrounding his feast day. However, his feast day can be celebrated universally as it falls during the beginning of Advent. This is significant as Andrew originally was a follower of John the Baptist. After witnessing the baptism of Jesus, he then became his first disciple.
Andrew and his brother Peter were both fishermen and they both became disciples of Jesus. After Jesus ascended to Heaven, Andrew travelled to Patras, Greece to preach the Gospel and here he became the first bishop. He was crucified on an X-shaped cross – known as the Saltire – and during his suffering, he continued to preach to people who gathered around him. The remains of the cross he was cruficied on are still in St Andrew’s cathedral in Patras today. Hundreds of years after his death, his remains were moved to Constantinople and later to Amalfi in southern Italy where they are kept to this day. Legend has it that a few of his relics were later moved to Fife, Scotland in the town of St Andrews.
While most saints are known for carrying out miracles, there are no recorded miracles performed by St Andrew. However, he is said to have appeared in a vision to a Pictish king on the eve of a battle in 832AD. On the day of the battle, the Saltire appeared in the sky above the battlefield and the king and his men were victorious. Since then the Saltire was known as St Andrew’s cross and became the national emblem and flag of Scotland. In 1320, Scottish noblemen wrote an appeal to the Pope asserting Scotland’s independence from England and he was recognised as an official patron saint of Scotland.
While he may not have performed any miracles, his devotion to Christ and to spreading his word showed that one can be holy through faith and prayer.