Every year, Scots and those of Scottish ancestry elsewhere, mark two special dates for celebrating with family and friends—Robert Burn’s birth day, January 25, and St. Andrew’s Day, November 30. Neither of these days are national holidays in Scotland. In America, the Thanksgiving holiday overshadows the celebration of St. Andrew’s Day, but St. Andrew’s societies all across the nation usually gather for dinner and fellowship close to November 30th.
Just who was St. Andrew and how did he become Scotland’s patron St.? St. Andrew was a native of Bethsaida, a town in Galilee, on the banks of the lake of Genesareth. He was a son of Jonas (or John), a fisherman, and a brother of Simon Peter. After his birth, the family moved to Capharnaum, where Jesus stayed and preached. When John the Baptist began to preach in the area, Andrew became an ardent follower. He passed much of his time hearing the instructions of John the Baptists and strove to practice all of the Baptist’s lessons and copy his example. However, he returned home
often and continued his fishing trade. He was with John the Baptist shortly after John Baptized Jesus and heard him say, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Without delay Andrew and another follower of the Baptist went after Jesus. They spent what remained of that day and the whole night with him, listening to his every word.
Andrew much loved his brother Simon, and could not rest until he told him about his time with Jesus. Soon thereafter, he brought them together. Jesus quickly made Simon a disciple and gave him the name of Peter. The brothers tarried one day with him to hear his doctrine. The next day they returned home. From this time, Andrew and Peter became disciples not constantly with Jesus, as was the case later, but hearing him frequently as their business would permit, then returning to their family.
Some months later in the same year, Jesus called Andrew and Peter to be with him constantly saying that he would make them “fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets to follow him and never went from him again. The year following, Jesus formed the group of twelve apostles in which the two brothers are named at the head of the rest.
After the death of Jesus, Andrew preached in the areas now known as Syria, Turkey and Greece. The Russians have long held that St. Andrew preached the word in their country as far as the mouth of the Barysthenes, to the mountain where the city of Kiou now stands, and to the frontiers of Poland.
Several calendars commemorate the feast of the chair of St. Andrew at Patrae in southern Greece. It is agreed that he was crucified there. When Andrew saw his X-shaped cross at a distance, he is said to have cried out, “Hail precious cross, that hast been consecrated by the body of my Lord… I come to thee exalting and glad…”
Constantine the Great built a church in Constantinople called the church of the apostles and decreed that the relics of all the apostles by moved to that church. The bones of St. Andrew were subject to that decree and were moved from Patrae in 357 A.D. and deposited in the Church of the Apostles.
It is common opinion that the cross on which St. Andrew was crucified was in the form of the letter “X”. There is no question that X crosses were sometimes used, but there is no clear proof that such a cross was used to crucify St. Andrew. One legend says that Andrew requested the X-shaped cross because he did not deem himself worthy to be crucified on a cross like the one used to crucify Jesus.
Scottish legends tell us that an abbot called Regulus was instructed by an angel to take many of the relics of St. Andrew to the ends of the earth. At the time, Scotland was about as close to the end of the earth as anyone knew. He brought an arm bone of St. Andrew from perhaps either Patrae around 369, or from Constantinople some years later. He built a church to honor Andrew in which he deposited the relic and also built a monastery called Abernethy.
Many pilgrims visited this church to view the relic and the Scottish monks of the monastery were the first who were called Culdees. (The name Culdee derives from the Latin “Celi De,” meaning Companions of God. They were an ascetic group from the early Celtic church, distinct from the Cathedral and Priory until about 1300.) The site of the relic is now marked by a plaque in the ruins of the Cathedral in Saint Andrews. (The relics can now be viewed in St. Mary’s Church, Edinburgh.)
There are different legends surrounding the use of the saltire as Scotland’s flag. Some people say that the kind dreamt one night that St. Andrew appeared to him and promised great victory. He was about to fight a battle with another king from the north of England and this dream convinced him that his forces would be victorious. On the day of the battle a white cross appeared in the sky and he did win—explaining why the flag of Scotland is sky-blue with a white cross. The battle was fought in Athelstaneford in the year 831. Others say that the Pictish King Angus faced a major battle and when he prayed for guidance, St. Andrew appeared to him and promised a great victory.
The first time that Andrew was recognized as the patron saint of Scotland was with the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. This declaration was signed by many of the Scottish noblemen asserting Scotland’s independence from England. The date, April 6, has been adopted as the date on which Americans of Scottish heritage celebrate “Tartan Day.”
St. Andrew’s Day, which is celebrated on November 30 of each year, used to be a very popular feast day in Scotland. It was a common custom for farm workers and laborers to go “St. Andr’ing.” They would catch rabbits and, later on in the day, would feat and drink. There have been debates off and on for some time about making St. Andrew’s Day a public holiday in Scotland. The debate continues, but thus far, a public holiday has not been proclaimed.
Have a happy and enjoyable S. Andrew’s Day. Celebrate with family and friends.
Oliver W. Hamilton,
President
