Saint Andrew the Apostle is known by all of Christianity as one of Jesus’ closest friends. Saint Andrew’s symbol is shown all over the world in Europe, Scotland, and even in United States history. Saint Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint of Scotland with an interesting story behind it. Saint Andrew the Apostle is also known as the first apostle, so his life was tough and very interesting to think about (Jones).
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No one knows when Saint Andrew was born, but it was in the early first century A.D. Saint Andrew died in the mid-first century A.D. Saint Andrew’s feast day is November 30 (Jones). Saint Andrew was crucified on a saltire cross or “X” shaped cross, and is considered a martyr. Saint Andrew was the first of the twelve Apostles, and his brother was Peter. His trade was a fisherman (Hoever 483). Also, because Saint Andrew was the first Apostle, his feast day is placed on, or the closest date to, the first Sunday of advent and the new church year (Kiefer). Saint Andrew is not mentioned a lot in the book, Acts of the Apostles, because he was mostly gone, travelling and spreading the good news to the world at the time (Roberts).
Saint Andrew was a follower of Saint John the Baptist and younger brother of Saint Peter. When John said, “Behold the Lamb of God,” Andrew immediately knew what he meant and left everything to follow Jesus (Roberts). Saint Andrew was there when Jesus fed five-thousand people with five barley loaves and two fish. In fact he was the one who brought the boy with the food to Jesus. Saint Andrew also spoke Greek, so he translated Greek people’s words who wanted to talk to Jesus (Kiefer). It has been said that after Jesus’ death, Saint Andrew preached in Asia Minor. When Saint Andrew was to be crucified in Patras, Greece, he begged to be crucified in a different position than Jesus. He felt that he was unworthy to die the same way as Jesus did (Hoever 483).
Saint Andrew is the patron saint of many things. Saint Andrew is the patron saint against fever, against gout, against neck pain, against sore throats, and against whooping cough. He is also the patron saint of anglers, boatmen, butchers, farm workers, fish dealers, fish mongers, fishermen, happy marriages, maidens, mariners, miners, old maids, pregnant women, sail makers, sailors, single lay women, singers, spinsters, textile workers, unmarried women, water carriers, women who wish to become mothers, Knights of the Golden Fleece, Spanish armed forces, University of Patras, Austria, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Bithynia, Asia Minor, five cities in Belgium, four cities in England, five cities in France, sixteen cities in Germany, Achaia/ Greece, Patras/ Greece, twelve cities in Italy, Luqa/ Malta, Hattem/ Netherlands, Manila/ Philippines, Saint Andrews/ Scotland, Encinasola, Huelva/ Spain, and San Andreas/ California (Jones).
After Saint Andrew’s death when Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, became the emperor around the year 308, he ordered for Saint Andrew’s remains to be put in a church in Constantinople. Saint Regulus, the person bringing Saint Andrew’s remains to Rome, was told by an angel to take his remains north, far away from Rome. He ended up creating the settlement of Saint Andrew in what is today known as parts of Scotland and Russia. Saint Andrew’s remains are currently residing in a church in Patras, Greece. Saint Andrew was actually never canonized! Canonization never existed until the twelfth century A.D. (Jones). There was also a gospel of Andrew written, but it was denied to be recognized by the church and was lost (Ferguson 50).
Saint Andrew has not been known for a specific miracle, but Pictish King Angus prayed to the saints to help him in a battle that he would probably not win. He looked into the blue sky and saw a white saltire or “X” in the sky as he went into battle, and came out as the victor. Later King Angus made Saint Andrew the patron Saint of Scotland. Saint Andrew has been known to help maidens find their husbands if you pray to him on his feast day, November 30. Also Saint Andrew has been known to repair your voice to help singers (Jones).
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The saltire is Saint Andrew’s symbol; it is a diagonal “X”. This is Saint Andrew’s symbol because he died on the cross in this position. The saltire can be found all over the world. It can be found in Scotland’s current flag showing what King Angus saw. You can find it in Great Britain’s flag under the cross. You can find it in an American Social Studies textbook. The Confederate flag purposely put it there in honor of Saint Andrew and Saint Patrick! The saltire is all over the world, you just have to find it (Kiefer).
There are many reasons why I chose Saint Andrew the Apostle. One of the reasons I chose Saint Andrew the Apostle is because we have the same name and I thought that was kind of cool. I also chose Saint Andrew the Apostle because I knew I could find information on him and I knew that he was one of Jesus’ closest friends. I also thought that it was cool that he died on a saltire, not a cross. Another reason I chose St. Andrew the Apostle is that he died for his faith. I love how much faith he had in Jesus, and even when he died, he died loving Jesus and God. I do wish that I could have the strength and love for God as much as he did. This is why I love Saint Andrew the Apostle and admire him so much. I hope that after you read this essay, if or when you see Scotland’s flag you’ll know Saint Andrew is the reason for the flag’s pattern.
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