The Feast of St. Andrew the First Called (November 30th)

St. Andrew the Apostle

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

Today is the Feast of St. Andrew, Patron Saint of Scotland, Ukraine, Russia, Greece, Cyprus and Malta. St. Andrew was the brother of St. Peter, a great evangelist, and one of the important apostolic founders of European churches. His symbol, the X-shaped "Saltire" Cross, graces the flag of Scotland and the United Kingdom. His relics are kept in Constantinople, Rome and Scotland. He is claimed as the founder of the Bishopric of Achaea, which would later become the Ecumenical Patriarchate after Constantine the Great incorporated it into the new city he built in Byzantium. St. Andrew is also remembered as the founder of one of the missions that resulted in the conversion of the Celts. He was martyred in 60AD in Achaea. 

The Martyrdom of St. Andrew from a German Breviary, Mid 15th Century

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.” (Matthew 4:18-22 KJV) 

With the arrival of St. Augustine of Canterbury and Theodore of Tarsus, Roman missionaries to Britain claimed St. Peter as their Patron and Founder, outranking the native Celtic Apostolic Succession and minimizing the place of St. Joseph of Arimathea, St. Columba and the Early Monastics. The Celtic Church decided to appeal to an ancient tradition of St. Andrew's mission in the British Isles, and declared St. Andrew their Patron and Founder at the Council of Whitby (664AD). In taking St. Andrew and his Cross as their banner, the Scots maintained their ecclesial independence and the equality of all bishops, in no way inferior to the Church of Rome. This was claimed again in 1320 in the Declaration of Arboath. Scottish King Angus MacFergus (727-761AD) dedicated the whole kingdom to St. Andrew, after seeing the Saltire Cross in the sky and being victorious the same day in battle against invaders. Thus, St. Andrew's Cross is still the official symbol of Scotland and all of her people.

COLLECT

ALMIGHTY GOD, who didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him without delay; Grant unto us all, that we, being called by thy holy Word, may forthwith give up ourselves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Andrew, pray for us!