ST. ANDREW THE APOSTLE

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Saint Andrew was a native of Bethsaida in Galilee. He was a fisherman and brother to Simon Peter.

St. Andrew became a disciple of St. John the Baptist. Andrew was not content with just going to hear him as others did, but passed much of his time hearing John's instructions, and studied punctually to practice all his lessons and copy his example.

Through John, Andrew clearly learned that Jesus was the Messiah and Redeemer of the world.

He was with his master when St. John the Baptist, seeing Jesus pass by the day after he had been baptized by him, said, "Behold the Lamb of God."

Andrew resolved from that moment to follow Jesus. He was the first of Christ's disciples, and therefore is referred to by the Greeks as the Protoclet, or First Called.

Andrew, who loved affectionately his brother Simon, could not rest until he had imparted to him the infinite treasure which he had discovered, and brought him to Christ, that he might also know him.

When Jesus worked his first miracle at the marriage at Cana in Galilee, the two brothers Andrew and Peter were present.

After the Son of God formed the college of his apostles, He went down to Capernaum to preach. He lodged at the house of Peter and Andrew. At the request of them both, Jesus cured Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever.

When Christ would not send away the multitude of five thousand persons, Andrew was the apostle to express a stronger faith and informed Jesus that there was a boy who had five barley loaves and two small fishes.

This shows the great credit St. Andrew had with Christ.

After Christ’s resurrection and the descent of the Holy Ghost, St. Andrew preached the gospel in Scythia.

Theodoret tells us that he passed into Greece, St. Gregory Nazianzen mentions particularly Epirus, and St. Jerome tells of Achaia. St. Paulinus says, "This divine fisherman, preaching at Argos, put all the philosophers there to silence."

Andrew is said to have been martyred by crucifixion at the city of Patras (Patræ) in Achaea, in AD 60.

It is the common opinion that the cross of St. Andrew was in the form of the letter X.

St. Bernard writes: “When he saw at a distance the cross prepared for him, his countenance did not change, nor did his blood freeze in his veins, nor did his hair stand on end, nor did he lose his voice, nor did his body tremble, nor was his soul troubled, nor did his senses fail him, as it happens to human frailty: but the flame of charity which burned in his breast, cast forth sparks through his mouth.”

It is mentioned in the records of the Duchy of Burgundy that the cross of Saint Andrew was brought out of Achaia and placed in the nunnery of Weaune near Marseilles. It was  moved into the abbey of St. Victor in Marseilles before the year 1250.

Knights of the Golden Fleece wear a figure of this cross for the badge of their Order, called Saint Andrew’s Cross. His cross is also depicted on the national flag of Scotland.

The body of St. Andrew was transported from Patras to Constantinople in 357, together with those of St. Luke and St. Timothy, and deposited in the Church of the Holy Apostles, which Constantine the Great had built a little before.

When the city of Constantinople was taken by the French, Cardinal Peter of Capua brought the relics of Saint Andrew into Italy in 1210, and deposited them in the Amalfi Cathedral.

Today many of Andrew's relics and the cross on which he was martyred are kept in the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Patras.

St. Andrew the Aspostle is the patron saint of fishermen, singers, Scotland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Patras

His feast day is November 30.