Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland. St Andrew's day is November 30th. Who was he? According to the Christian faith St Andrew was a fisherman from Galilee. He was the first disciple of Christ, preaching the gospel in lands around the Black Sea and in Greece. He never actually set foot in Scotland. The story goes that he was eventually crucified on an X-shaped cross which has become the inspiration of the cross that forms the Saltire, Scotland's national flag. One story is that an angel told Greek monk St Rule that St Andrew's bones should be moved from Constantinople to the ends of the earth for safekeeping. St Rule is said to have become shipwrecked at a small settlement on the East coast of Scotland that was soon to become known as St Andrews. St Andrews relics were placed in a chapel that was on the same site as the Cathedral of St Andrews which was built in the 11th century. St Rule's tower still stands among the ruins, of what was a great centre for medieval pilgrims who came to view the relics. The whereabouts of the relics are now unknown, although it is most likely that they were destroyed during the Scottish Reformation. In 1969 Pope Paul VI gave further relics to Scotland, and these are now displayed in St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh. Whatever the truth of the ancient legend, the image of St Andrew has come to symbolise Scotland. St Andrew's Day is a celebration of Scotland, both at home and abroad. Happy St Andrew's Day.
St Andrew was born by the sea of Galilee. He and his brother Peter were fishermen. Jesus asked them to be his friends. Andrew did everything he could to help Jesus and spread the word across Asia. Because of his life’s work he became a patron saint of Ukraine, Rumania and Russia. Just like Jesus Andrew was crucified because some people felt frightened about them. Out of respect for Jesus, Andrew asked for an X-shaped cross. Which we call the St Andrew Cross. Part of Andrew’s body was kept in love of his memory in beautiful churches across the world- in Greece, Italy, Poland and Scotland.
Many years later the Scottish were about to fight. The leader said a prayer. If Scotland won Andrew would be patron saint. The morning of the battle there were clouds in the sky. The were in the shape of X - just like Andrew’s. Even tho’ there were less of them the Scottish won. Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland and the flag looks like the clouds in the sky that God had sent to keep them safe. On this day we fly the flag. We feast in St Andrews honour. There is bagpipe music and dancing. And folks say that ladies pray to St Andrew if they want to get married, and he will find them a husband. Happy St Andrew’s day everybody!
In Spain, Saint Andrew is the patron saint of : San Andrés (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), San Andrés y Sauces (La Palma), Navalmoral de la Mata (Cáceres), Éibar (Guipúzcoa), Baeza (Jaén), Pobladura de Pelayo García and Pobladura de Yuso (León), Berlangas de Roa (Burgos), Ligüerzana (Palencia), Castillo de Bayuela (Toledo), Almoradí (Alicante), Estella(Navarra), San Andrés de Palomar (Barcelona), Adamuz (Córdoba) and San Andrés in Cameros (La Rioja).