Saint Andrew the First-Called.

This Saint was from Bethsaida of Galilee; he was the son of Jonas and the brother of Peter, the chief of the Apostles. He did not enter into marriage, and he worked with his brother as a fisherman. When the holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John began to preach, Saint Andrew became his closest disciple. Saint John the Baptist himself sent to Christ his own two disciples, the future Apostles Andrew and John the Theologian, declaring Christ to be the Lamb of God.

After the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, Saint Andrew went to the Eastern lands preaching the Word of God. He went through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, he reached the River Danube, went along the coast of the Black Sea, through Crimea, the Black Sea region and along the River Dniepr he climbed to the place where the city of Kiev now stands. According to tradition, he founded the see of Byzantium (later Constantinople) in 38 AD, installing Stachys as bishop. Thrace, Peloponnese, Greece, and Epirus: he converted many to the Faith and ordained bishops and priests for them. Andrew's missionary work was characterized by tireless proclamation of the Gospel and the performing of many miracles of healing and deliverance.

St. Andrew was martyred in Peloponnese, in the city of Patras. The Lord worked many miracles through His disciple in Patra from where the Apostle preached throughout all Achaia. The infirm were made whole, and the blind received their sight. Few pagans remained at Patra, but among them was the prefect of the city, Aegeates. The Apostle Andrew repeatedly turned to him with the words of the Gospel. But even the miracles of the Apostle did not convince Aegeates.

Saint Andrew the First-Called accepted the decision of the prefect with joy and with prayer to the Lord, and went willingly to the place of execution. In order to prolong the suffering of the saint, Aegeatos gave orders not to nail the saint's hands and feet, but to tie them to the cross. For two days the apostle taught the citizens who gathered about. The people, in listening to him, with all their souls pitied him and tried to take Saint Andrew down from the cross. Fearing a riot of the people, Aegeatos gave orders to stop the execution. But the holy apostle began to pray that the Lord would grant him death on the cross. Just as the soldiers tried to take hold of the Apostle Andrew, they lost control of their hands. The crucified apostle, having given glory to God, said: "Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit." Then a blazing ray of divine light illumined the cross and the martyr crucified upon it. When the light faded, the holy Apostle Andrew had already given up his holy soul to the Lord.

He is considered the founder and the first bishop of the Church of Byzantium and is consequently the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Thus, Pope Benedict XVI calls him "the Apostle of the Greek world," and since he is the brother of Saint Peter, the first bishop of Rome, their brotherhood is "symbolically expressed in the special reciprocal relations of the See of Rome and of Constantinople, which are truly Sister Churches."

His great missionary legacy led him to become the patron saint of several countries, including Romania and Scotland. St. Andrew's relics were transferred from Patra to Constantinople and placed in the church of the Holy Apostles, while a hand was taken to Moscow. The Crusaders stole the relics and cross of Saint Andrew during the sacking of Constantinople, however, in a gesture of goodwill, Pope Paul VI presented the skull of the saint back to the Greek Orthodox Church in 1964, while the cross of the saint was returned in 1980. The saint's relics and cross are now venerated in the magnificent church of Saint Andrew in Patra at the place of his martyrdom.

The flag of Scotland (and consequently the Union Flag and those of some of the former colonies of the British Empire) feature Saint Andrew's saltire cross. The saltire is also the flag of Tenerife, the former flag of Galicia and the Russian Navy Ensign.

Life and Calling

The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was the first of the Apostles to follow Christ, and he later brought his own brother, the holy Apostle Peter, to Christ (John 1:35-42). Andrew was a fisherman by trade, born in Bethsaida. The Gospel of John states that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, whose testimony first led him, and another unnamed disciple of John the Baptist, traditionally believed to be John the Apostle, to follow Jesus and spend the day with him, thus becoming the first two disciples called by Jesus. For this reason the Eastern Orthodox Church honours him with the name Protokletos, which means "the first called".

Apostolic Ministry

He went through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, he reached the River Danube, went along the coast of the Black Sea, through Crimea, the Black Sea region and along the River Dniepr he climbed to the place where the city of Kiev now stands. Upon these hills shall shine forth the beneficence of God, and there will be a great city here, and God shall raise up many churches. The apostle established churches and ordained bishops throughout these regions. He is considered the founder and the first bishop of the Church of Byzantium and is consequently the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. In Byzantium: he appointed St. Stachys as its first bishop, establishing an unbroken line of apostolic succession that continues to the Ecumenical Patriarchate today.

Ministry in Patras and Martyrdom

St. Andrew was martyred in Peloponnese, in the city of Patras. The Lord worked many miracles through His disciple in Patra from where the Apostle preached throughout all Achaia. Through the prayers of the Apostle, the illustrious citizen Sosios recovered from serious illness and Maximilla and Stratokles, the wife and brother of the governor of Patra, were healed. In order to prolong the suffering of the saint, Aegeates gave orders not to nail the saint's hands and feet, but to tie them to an X-shaped cross. For two days the apostle taught the citizens who gathered about. The people, in listening to him, with all their souls pitied him and tried to take Saint Andrew down from the cross. The crucified apostle, having given glory to God, said: "Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit." Then a blazing ray of divine light illumined the cross and the martyr crucified upon it.