St. Andrew, Apostle and Martyr

November 30


1st Century

The son of John, a fisherman, and brother of Simon Peter, he was a native of Bethsaida, Galilee, and a fisherman. He became a disciple of John the Baptist, and when he met Jesus at Jesus' Baptism by the Baptist, Andrew was called to be Christ's first disciple and then brought Peter to Jesus. For a time, they followed him intermittently, but when the Savior returned to Galilee, he called them from their fishing, saying he would make them fishers of men. After Jesus' death, he is reputed to have preached in Scythia and Greece, and later a dubious tradition has him going to Byzantium, where he appointed Stachys bishop. Where and how he died are uncertain, but a very old tradition has him crucified at Patras, Acaia, on an X-shaped cross. He is the patron Saint of Russia, though the tradition he preached there is unfounded, and of Scotland, where another tradition says some of his relics were brought in the fourth century in consequence of a dream to St. Rule, who was custodian of Andrew's relics. Reportedly an Angel guided Rule to a place called St. Andrew's, and he became its first bishop and evangelized the Scots in the area for three decades.