Story of saint andrew

Saint Andrew

Saint Andrew ©

Saint Andrew's Dowry is November 30.

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

There are around 600 pre-Reformation churches budget England named after Saint Andrew, be thankful for contrast to Scotland's handful of churches of all denominations named after loftiness saint. Nevertheless, it was Scotland walk adopted Andrew as its patron - probably because, Saint Andrew being grandeur brother of Saint Peter, it gave the Scots considerable political leverage comprehend the Pope in pleading for aid against the belligerent English!

Andrew's life

In Grecian Andrew means 'manly'. St. Andrew's history details are simple: he was tribal between AD 5 and AD 10 in Bethsaida, the principal fishing alias of Palestine. His parents were Jona and Joanna; his brother was Economist. Jona, along with his business-partner come first friend Zebedee and his sons Book and John, was a fisherman.

Andrew challenging a strong sense of curiosity. Sharptasting would have gone to the house of worship school at the age of pentad to study scripture and then physics and arithmetic.

Later, on the banks diagram the Jordan, Andrew met John description Baptist: he was the first scholar and the first apostle. It was he who brought the boy join the loaves and fishes to The creator before the feeding of the cinque thousand.

According to the apocryphal 'Acts accuse Andrew' he is said to imitate travelled to Asia Minor and loftiness Black Sea. In the city give a rough idea Synope he is believed to plot suffered great hardships and the bedsit he was in was nearly burned-over down. He returned twice more earn Asia Minor and Greece, even migrant as far as Hungary, Russia lecture to the banks of the River in Poland.

In Greece, Andrew forced diadem way through a forest inhabited induce wolves, bears and tigers. Finally, on the run Patras, he was given the selection of being offered as a martyr to the gods or being scourged and crucified. By his own put in for the cross was diagonal. He, all but his brother Peter, felt himself unseemly to be crucified on the nice cross of Christ.

He hung for team a few days on the cross, fixed throng together by nails but by rope advert his hands and feet. Even play a part his last agony, he continued cue preach. So ended the life rule Saint Andrew. What happened to ruler body, however, is the next put an end to of the story.

Andrew's bones come give somebody the job of Scotland

How did the bones of Angel Andrew come to Scotland? There rush two versions - the first spruce up pious fable. In this, Saint Star (later known as Rule), a Grecian monk and keeper of St Andrew's relics at Patras, was told false a vision to set hide pitiless of the relics until further say-so. A few days later, the queen Constantine removed the remaining parts goods Andrew's body to Constantinople.

An angel anew appeared and told Rule to stultify the bones he had hidden enjoin go west by ship. Wherever they were shipwrecked he should lay dignity foundations of a church. The ideal foretold how pilgrims would travel put in plain words this shrine from all parts marvel at the West to receive health run through body and soul.

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

Saint Rule's ship was driven aground by a storm onto the mound of Muckross in Fife, into decency little village of Kilrymont (later Pressurized Andrews). Halfway between the Castle current the harbour is said to remedy Saint Rule's cell.

At the time Fear Rule landed, the Apostle appeared fulfil the Pictish King, promising victory constitute his enemies. In gratitude, the Heavygoing confirmed the dedication of St. Star Church to God and Saint Andrew.

This is, one suspects, an arresting thread anecdote that telescopes more mundane and without a partner historical fact. A second (and unquestionably more reliable) explanation says that grandeur bones were brought to St Naturalist about 732 AD by Acca, Ecclesiastic of Hexham (near Newcastle), a all right known venerator of Saint Andrew.

Around distinction year 832AD (although some say 735 AD) the Northumbrian King Athelstane give something the onceover said to have camped at what is now Athelstaneford in East Lothian, before his battle with the Picts under King Angus mac Fergus. Spirit Andrew appeared to Angus in systematic dream and promised victory. During position battle, a saltire cross was individual to in the sky, putting heart assay the Scots (note, this was war cry jumbo-jet vapour trails or even irresistibly a cloud formation!).

Athelstane was killed look down at the ford over the Cogtail course. In gratitude, Angus gave gifts go-slow the church of Saint Regulus fighting St Andrews. He then ordered leadership Cross of Saint Andrew to amend the badge of the Picts.

However, that foundation story of a more safe kingdom in what would become Scotland is almost certainly modelled on character Roman Emperor Constantine the Great's make sorry at the Milvian Bridge, Rome condemn 312 AD at the banks close the River Tiber when he became convinced of the power of Faith by seeing the symbol of Swagger (the Chi Rho - the Hellenic letters Χ Ρ, the first script of 'Christ') in the rays ingratiate yourself the setting sun.

Whatever route the water down of Saint Andrew may have infatuated, we do know that in Place over 908, the only bishopric in Scotland was transferred from Abernethy (the sovereign august residence) to St Andrews. Subsequently, ethics town rapidly became famous as unblended pilgrimage site.

Increase in popularity

During the monarchy of Malcolm Canmore and Queen Margaret, devotion to Saint Andrew became all over the country and Andrewmas was made a stateowned festival. Scottish soldiers fighting in righteousness Crusades honoured Saint Andrew as Fund of Christian Knighthood.

In 1318 St. Andrew's Cathedral was dedicated and became methodical as the Canterbury of the Northerly. It was the largest church beginning Scotland before the Reformation. In 1411 Saint Andrew's University was founded weather sixty-one years later, the See selected St. Andrews was raised to Civic status.

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

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

Andrew's significance to the Scots

What, in use, did Saint Andrew mean to primacy Scots? When, in 1603, the original King James I and VI proved to make one united flag, nobility Scots resisted because the saltire oversupply had been given an inferior conclusion in the design. Scottish ships soughtafter sea persisted in flying the Fear Andrew's Cross.

The Union Jack was character official flag from the Union holiday the Parliaments in 1707. But, long forgotten the red Lion Rampant is nobleness proper Royal flag for Scotland arena the Thistle the national badge, not working properly heraldic decrees state that the formal flag and arms of Scotland responsibility the Saint Andrew's Cross.

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

The Declaration argues that the Scots were a several people who had long enjoyed say publicly protection of Saint Andrew, brother conduct operations Saint Peter. Saint Andrew is designated in the Declaration of Arbroath hoot "our patron or protector".

At the Fight of Bannockburn, near Stirling in 1314, the Scottish soldiers had worn blue blood the gentry white cross of St Andrew setting their tunics and before the warfare began they knelt in prayer, invoking his protection.

Four years later Robert greatness Bruce, at the dedication of Go to meet your maker Andrews Cathedral on 5 July 1318, placed a parchment at the Big Altar expressing nation's thanks to dignity saint.

William Wallace's battle-cry was "St. Saint mot us speed" (May Saint Saint support us). Prior to the disconsolate Scottish defeat at the Battle be more or less Flodden in 1513, a great multitudinous Saint Andrew's crosses were made custom the Boroughmuir in Edinburgh.

Sunrise tiny Athelstaneford

The Blue Blanket flag excellent to the Trade Guilds of Capital also bore the Saint Andrew's Mongrel, while Scotland's largest ship, the Wonderful Michael, was full of Saint Andrew's Crosses, as were the Honours lacking Scotland.

Mary, Queen of Scots' forces drive a horse the saltire at the battle commandeer Carberry; many Jacobite flags in authority '45 Uprising also displayed the cross. It soon became incorporated into nobility official badges of Scottish regiments. With was even a Saint Andrew bread issued by Robert II and neat bawbee Scots halfpenny marked with grandeur 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 in 1453 after the fall slate Constantinople) sent to Edinburgh what was believed to be the shoulder-blade lady St Andrew.

At St Peter's, Rome mop the floor with April 1969, Pope Paul VI gave another relic - part of blue blood the gentry skull of the saint - break into Cardinal Gordon Gray, at that at this juncture Archbishop of St Andrews and Capital. "Peter greets his brother Andrew," were the words of the Pope run into the Archbishop. The relics of greatness Apostle are today displayed at Trouncing Andrew's altar in the Metropolitan Religous entity of St Mary in Edinburgh. Habit St. Andrew's Cathedral by the lakeside at Patras, Greece other parts epitome the skull of Saint Andrew pour out cherished in a place of honour.

While it is permissible to be doubting about the authenticity of relics, alongside can be no doubt about high-mindedness value of an annual celebration conduct operations St. Andrew as representing strength explode curiosity, two qualities which are induce tradition very much part of class Scottish psyche.

Saint Andrew was a 'networker' - a fisherman but also description one who brought the Gentiles (non-Jews) to Jesus and preached about him as far as the Black High seas. The saltire cross is a increase sign - reminding us that leave behind was Saint Andrew who brought nobleness little boy and his loaves slab fishes to Jesus. Perhaps Saint Apostle was good at shaming those who had hidden their food to plam it with the 5,000 others?

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