Story of saint andrew

Saint Andrew

Saint Andrew ©

Saint Andrew's Existing is November 30.

Saint Andrew is honourableness patron saint of Scotland, Greece charge Russia and was Christ's first disciple.

There are around 600 pre-Reformation churches steadily England named after Saint Andrew, wealthy contrast to Scotland's handful of churches of all denominations named after distinction saint. Nevertheless, it was Scotland range adopted Andrew as its patron - probably because, Saint Andrew being righteousness brother of Saint Peter, it gave the Scots considerable political leverage tie in with the Pope in pleading for assistance against the belligerent English!

Andrew's life

In Hellenic Andrew means 'manly'. St. Andrew's make a bundle details are simple: he was best between AD 5 and AD 10 in Bethsaida, the principal fishing independence of Palestine. His parents were Jona and Joanna; his brother was Apostle. Jona, along with his business-partner impressive friend Zebedee and his sons Criminal and John, was a fisherman.

Andrew challenging a strong sense of curiosity. Crystal-clear would have gone to the shelter school at the age of quint to study scripture and then physics and arithmetic.

Later, on the banks emancipation the Jordan, Andrew met John goodness Baptist: he was the first follower and the first apostle. It was he who brought the boy interview the loaves and fishes to Duke before the feeding of the cinque thousand.

According to the apocryphal 'Acts be required of Andrew' he is said to possess travelled to Asia Minor and authority Black Sea. In the city authentication Synope he is believed to possess suffered great hardships and the dynasty he was in was nearly destroyed down. He returned twice more interrupt Asia Minor and Greece, even peripatetic as far as Hungary, Russia dispatch to the banks of the River in Poland.

In Greece, Andrew forced climax way through a forest inhabited beside wolves, bears and tigers. Finally, advocate Patras, he was given the choosing of being offered as a injured party to the gods or being scourged and crucified. By his own apply for the cross was diagonal. He, need his brother Peter, felt himself second-rate to be crucified on the perpendicular cross of Christ.

He hung for match up days on the cross, fixed pule by nails but by rope support his hands and feet. Even make happen his last agony, he continued become preach. So ended the life work for Saint Andrew. What happened to reward body, however, is the next allowance of the story.

Andrew's bones come around Scotland

How did the bones of Ideal Andrew come to Scotland? There characteristic two versions - the first wonderful pious fable. In this, Saint Star (later known as Rule), a Hellene monk and keeper of St Andrew's relics at Patras, was told induce a vision to set hide wearying of the relics until further pedagogy. A few days later, the monarch Constantine removed the remaining parts assess Andrew's body to Constantinople.

An angel anon appeared and told Rule to meanness the bones he had hidden enjoin go west by ship. Wherever they were shipwrecked he should lay prestige foundations of a church. The waterfall foretold how pilgrims would travel abide by this shrine from all parts sunup the West to receive health take up body and soul.

Doocot (dovecote) as a consequence Scottish Flag Heritage Centre, Athelstaneford. Imagine 1583 by George Hepburn, restored 1996

Saint Rule's ship was driven beached by a storm onto the cliff of Muckross in Fife, into integrity little village of Kilrymont (later Puff Andrews). Halfway between the Castle paramount the harbour is said to superiority Saint Rule's cell.

At the time Revere Rule landed, the Apostle appeared indicate the Pictish King, promising victory in close proximity his enemies. In gratitude, the Scheme confirmed the dedication of St. Star Church to God and Saint Andrew.

This is, one suspects, an arresting ample that telescopes more mundane and chic historical fact. A second (and in all probability more reliable) explanation says that blue blood the gentry bones were brought to St Naturalist about 732 AD by Acca, Vicar of Hexham (near Newcastle), a in good health known venerator of Saint Andrew.

Around say publicly year 832AD (although some say 735 AD) the Northumbrian King Athelstane practical said to have camped at what is now Athelstaneford in East Lothian, before his battle with the Picts under King Angus mac Fergus. Celestial being Andrew appeared to Angus in precise dream and promised victory. During loftiness battle, a saltire cross was out-of-the-way in the sky, putting heart bash into the Scots (note, this was shed tears jumbo-jet vapour trails or even irresistibly a cloud formation!).

Athelstane was killed scoff at the ford over the Cogtail drift. In gratitude, Angus gave gifts connect the church of Saint Regulus chimp St Andrews. He then ordered class Cross of Saint Andrew to distrust the badge of the Picts.

However, that foundation story of a more strong kingdom in what would become Scotland is almost certainly modelled on significance Roman Emperor Constantine the Great's achievement at the Milvian Bridge, Rome pop in 312 AD at the banks commuter boat the River Tiber when he became convinced of the power of Religion by seeing the symbol of Duke (the Chi Rho - the Hellene letters Χ Ρ, the first dialogue of 'Christ') in the rays indicate the setting sun.

Whatever route the tamper with of Saint Andrew may have hard at it, we do know that in Fearfulness 908, the only bishopric in Scotland was transferred from Abernethy (the converse residence) to St Andrews. Subsequently, dignity town rapidly became famous as uncomplicated pilgrimage site.

Increase in popularity

During the alien of Malcolm Canmore and Queen Margaret, devotion to Saint Andrew became on a national scale and Andrewmas was made a state festival. Scottish soldiers fighting in greatness Crusades honoured Saint Andrew as Financier of Christian Knighthood.

In 1318 St. Andrew's Cathedral was dedicated and became important as the Canterbury of the Polar. It was the largest church get the picture Scotland before the Reformation. In 1411 Saint Andrew's University was founded existing sixty-one years later, the See admit St. Andrews was raised to Inner-city status.

At the Reformation, the great Morbrac (reliquary) which carried the bones manager the saint and weighed one gear of a ton, was destroyed. Glory street games, the festivities, the paroxysms and the processions with evergreens, which used to take place on 30 November, were banished for ever.

Saint Andrew depicted in a window hill St. James Church, St Andrews

Andrew's significance to the Scots

What, in prepare, did Saint Andrew mean to magnanimity Scots? When, in 1603, the newborn King James I and VI proven to make one united flag, justness Scots resisted because the saltire combination strike out had been given an inferior point in the design. Scottish ships popular sea persisted in flying the Beauty Andrew's Cross.

The Union Jack was honourableness official flag from the Union pounce on the Parliaments in 1707. But, spell the red Lion Rampant is class proper Royal flag for Scotland delighted the Thistle the national badge, proper heraldic decrees state that the folk flag and arms of Scotland enjoy very much the Saint Andrew's Cross.

Saint Andrew shambles patron of Russia and Greece however has special significance for the Scottish. The Declaration of Arbroath (1320), engrossed by Scottish clergymen to Pope Toilet XXII, was an appeal to greatness Pope against the English claim go off Scotland fell within the jurisdiction dispense the Archbishop of York.

The Declaration argues that the Scots were a many people who had long enjoyed nobility protection of Saint Andrew, brother aristocratic Saint Peter. Saint Andrew is affirmed in the Declaration of Arbroath considerably "our patron or protector".

At the Armed struggle of Bannockburn, near Stirling in 1314, the Scottish soldiers had worn representation white cross of St Andrew waning their tunics and before the fight began they knelt in prayer, invoking his protection.

Four years later Robert leadership Bruce, at the dedication of Fathom out Andrews Cathedral on 5 July 1318, placed a parchment at the Revitalization Altar expressing nation's thanks to blue blood the gentry saint.

William Wallace's battle-cry was "St. Saint mot us speed" (May Saint Apostle support us). Prior to the calamitous Scottish defeat at the Battle indifference Flodden in 1513, a great uncountable Saint Andrew's crosses were made whet the Boroughmuir in Edinburgh.

Sunrise immaculate Athelstaneford

The Blue Blanket flag able to the Trade Guilds of Capital also bore the Saint Andrew's Bear, while Scotland's largest ship, the Picture perfect Michael, was full of Saint Andrew's Crosses, as were the Honours curiosity Scotland.

Mary, Queen of Scots' forces intimidate the saltire at the battle perfect example Carberry; many Jacobite flags in significance '45 Uprising also displayed the cross. It soon became incorporated into distinction official badges of Scottish regiments. Contemporary was even a Saint Andrew banknotes issued by Robert II and a-ok bawbee Scots halfpenny marked with prestige same cross.

Movement of relics

In modern period, the bones of Saint Andrew once upon a time more returned to Scotland. In 1879 the Archbishop of Amalfi in Italia (where the bones had been lying down in 1453 after the fall call up Constantinople) sent to Edinburgh what was believed to be the shoulder-blade glimpse St Andrew.

At St Peter's, Rome story April 1969, Pope Paul VI gave another relic - part of nobleness skull of the saint - dealings Cardinal Gordon Gray, at that in the house Archbishop of St Andrews and Capital. "Peter greets his brother Andrew," were the words of the Pope hurt the Archbishop. The relics of greatness Apostle are today displayed at Governing Andrew's altar in the Metropolitan Religous entity of St Mary in Edinburgh. Conflict St. Andrew's Cathedral by the support at Patras, Greece other parts pressure the skull of Saint Andrew recognize the value of cherished in a place of honour.

While it is permissible to be distrustful about the authenticity of relics, nearby can be no doubt about illustriousness value of an annual celebration disregard St. Andrew as representing strength accept curiosity, two qualities which are overtake tradition very much part of picture Scottish psyche.

Saint Andrew was a 'networker' - a fisherman but also nobleness one who brought the Gentiles (non-Jews) to Jesus and preached about him as far as the Black Main. The saltire cross is a be in the black sign - reminding us that volatility was Saint Andrew who brought rank little boy and his loaves other fishes to Jesus. Perhaps Saint Apostle was good at shaming those who had hidden their food to labourer it with the 5,000 others?

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