Saint Andrew the Apostle
![[Saint Andrew the Apostle]](http://saints.sqpn.com/sta12007.jpg "35kb jpg photograph of Saint Andrew the Apostle stained glass window; artist unknown; from Immaculate Conception Church, Earlington, KY; thanks Father Martin")
Also known as
- Andreas the Apostle
- Endres the Apostle
Profile
The first Apostle. Fisherman by trade. Brother of Simon Peter. Follower of John the Baptist. Andrew went through life leading people to Jesus, both before and after the Crucifixion. Missionary in Asia Minor and Greece, and possibly areas in modern Russia and Poland. Martyred on an saltire (x-shaped) cross, he is said to have preached for two days from it.
Some peculiar marriage-related superstitions have attached themselves to Saint Andrew’s feast day.
- An old German tradition says that single women who wish to marry should ask for Saint Andrew’s help on the eve of his feast, then sleep naked that night; they will see their future husbands in their dreams.
- Another says that young women should note the location of barking dogs on Saint Andrew’s Eve: their future husbands will come from that direction.
- On the day after Andrew’s feast, young people float cups in a tub; if a boy’s and a girl’s cup drift together and are intercepted by a cup inscribed “priest”, it indicates marriage.
There are several explanations for why Andrew became the patron of Scotland.
- In 345, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to translate Andrew’s bones from Patras, Greece to Constantinople. Saint Regulus of Scotland was instructed by an angel to take many of these relics to the far northwest. He was eventally told to stop on the Fife coast of Scotland, where he founded the settlement of Saint Andrew.
- In the 7th century, Saint Wilfrid of York brought some of the saint’s relics with him after a pilgrimage to Rome, Italy. The Scots king, Angus MacFergus, installed them at Saint Andrew’s to enhance the prestige of the new diocese.
- When the Pictish King Angus faced a large invading army, he prayed for guidance. A white cloud in the form of a saltire cross floated across the blue sky above him. Angus won a decisive victory, and decreed that Andrew would be the patron saint of his country. Following Robert Bruce’s victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the Declaration of Arbroath officially named Saint Andrew the patron saint of Scotland. The Saltire became the national flag of Scotland in 1385.
Born
- at Bethsaida
- Achaia
- against gout
- against sore throats
- Amalfi, Italy
- anglers
- Antey-Saint-Andre, Italy
- Berchtesgaden, Germany
- Burgundy, France
- Cartosio, Italy
- Conflenti, Italy
- Constantinople, diocese of
- Encinasola, Huelva, Spain
- fish dealers
- fish mongers
- fishermen
- Grand Rapids, Michigan, diocese of
- Greece
- Grognardo, Italy
- Lampertheim, Germany
- Luqa, Malta
- maidens
- old maids
- Patras, Greece
- Plymouth, England
- Russia
- Samolaco, Italy
- Scotland
- single lay women
- singers
- Spanish armed forces
- spinsters
- University of Patras
- unmarried women
- women who wish to become mothers
- fish
- fishing net
- man bound to a cross
- man preaching from a cross
- old man with long white hair and a beard, holding the Gospel in his right hand, and leaning on a transverse cross
- preacher holding some fish
- Saint Andrew’s cross
- saltire (x-shaped) cross
Storefront
- Commercial Links related to Saint Andrew
Additional Information
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Catholic Online
- For All The Saints, by Katherine Rabenstein
- Goffine’s Devout Instructions
- Golden Legend, by Jacobus de Voragine
- Google Directory
- New Catholic Dictionary
- Nutall Encyclopedia
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, and Stephen Bunson
- Project Britain
- Vikipedio esperanto
Readings
After Andrew had stayed with Jesus and had learned much from him, he did not keep this treasure to himself, but hastened to share it with his brother Peter. Notice what Andrew said to him: “We have found the Messiah, that is to say, the Christ.” Notice how his words reveal what he has learned in so short a time. They show the power of the master who has convinced them of this truth. Andrew’s words reveal a soul waiting with the utmost longing for the coming of the Messiah, looking forward to his appearing from heaven, rejoicing when he does appear, and hastening to announce to great an event to others. To support one another in the things of the spirit is the true sign of good will between brothers, loving kinship and sincere affection. - from a homily on the Gospel of John by Saint John Chrysostom
