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Who was Saint Andrew?
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| The
earliest known depiction of Saint Andrew. |
Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland,
and St Andrews Day is celebrated by Scots around the world on November 30th.
The Flag of Scotland is the Cross of St Andrew,
also known as the Saltire, and this is widely displayed as a symbol of national
identity
A disciple of Jesus
and the brother of Simon Peter, Saint Andrew worked as a fisherman until he responded
to the summons from Jesus to follow him and become "fishers of men". Having met
Jesus, Andrew then finds his brother and brings him to Jesus.
Although less prominent than his brother, Andrew
was present at the feeding of the five thousand where he says "Here is a lad with
five barley loaves and two fish" (John 6:8). He is also recorded as leading a
number of Greek-speaking Jews, after they had approached Philip, to speak with
Jesus (John12:20-22).
Thus, on each occasion that Andrew is mentioned
as an individual in the Gospel, it is because he is instrumental in bringing others
to meet the Saviour. In the Epischopal Church, the Fellowship of Saint Andrew
is devoted to encouraging personal evangelism, and the bringing of one's friends
and colleagues to a knowledge of the Gospel of Christ.
According to later traditions, Andrew became
a missionary to Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Southern Russia (of which he is also
the patron Saint). In AD70, he was martyred in Patras, Greece. Having
many converts, he was feared by the Roman Governer who had him crucified on an
X-shaped cross known as a Saltire Cross.
St Andrew's bones were entombed, and around
300 years later, they were removed by Emperor Constantine (the Great) to his new
capital Constantinople.
Legend suggests that a Greek Monk (although
others describe him as an Irish assistant of St. Columba) called St. Rule (or
St. Regulus) was warned in a dream that St. Andrews remains were to be moved and
was directed by an angel to take those of the remains which he could to the "ends
of the earth" for safe-keeping. St. Rule dutifully followed these directions,
removing a tooth, an arm bone, a kneecap and some fingers from St. Andrew's tomb
and transporting these as far away as he could.
That place was Scotland. More specifically,
it was a town on the north east coast of Fife called Kilrymont, now St Andrews.
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| St
Andrews Cathedral today. |
The great Cathedral of St Andrews was a centre
of pilgrimage. From the south they crossed the Forth at Queensferry and made their
way to Cupar and thence via Guardbridge to St Andrews.
Hostels strategically placed along the route
catered for this medieval tourist industry. They came to seek a cure for their
illness, or to atone for their sins.
Many also came because they had promised to
make such a pilgrimage if divine intervention answered their payers.
Thousands upon thousands of pilgrims came each
year for hundreds of years to worship at the shrine of the relics of the Apostle
and Martyr, St Andrew of Bethsaida in Galilee, who was made Patron Saint of Scotland.
Having the largest cathedral in Scotland and
one of the most celebrated in Europe, St Andrews was closely involved in the events
of the Protestant Reformation. These events lead to the ultimate desecration and
neglect of the Cathedral.
The Reformation was a time of great trouble
in St Andrews with martyrs of the faith being burnt at the stake for purported
heresy including Patrick Hamilton (Feb. 1527), then Henry Forest (1533) who was
burnt on the north side of the Cathedral so that the people in Forfarshire could
see the flames as a deadly warning.
George Wishart was next and in April 1558,
Walter Myln. These martyrs of the Reformation are commemorated in the Martyrs
Monument at the western end of the Scores overlooking the Royal and Ancient Golf
Club.
There is no evidence that St Andrews was ever
a walled city, but in the troubled times around the 16th century the outer extremities
of all streets and wynds were closed by ports or gates. The rear walls of gardens
formed the only additional defence. The only port to remain today is the West
Port on South Street which, however, was extensively remodelled in 1843.
The development of St Andrews as a burgh began
sometime between 1144 and 1153 when it was raised to such a status by Bishop Robert
with the active enthusiasm and permission of David I. In 1614 St Andrews was made
a Burgh of Regality and in 1620 James VI confirmed it as a Royal Burgh.
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