In Scotland, 30 November is an annual day of celebration known as St Andrew’s Day.
Saint Andrew is synonymous with Scotland. The Scottish Government headquarters is called St Andrew’s House and the country’s oldest university bears his name. He’s even represented in the Saltire flag, which is also known as the Saint Andrew’s cross.
Andrew is Scotland’s patron saint, yet this man from the Middle East never set foot in the country during his lifetime.
So just who was Andrew? He was born into a family of fishermen in the port of Bethsaida between AD 5 and 10. Andrew became Jesus’ first disciple and features in prominent moments of the New Testament.
He travelled through Europe and Russia to spread the Good News about Jesus. In Patras, Greece he was captured by the authorities and sentenced to death after he persuaded a Roman official’s wife to reject the pagan gods. He felt unworthy of an upright cross like Jesus’, and instead requested a diagonal cross for his execution.
It was only after his death that Andrew came to Scotland. Quite how the remains of his body ended up here is matter of debate. One story says they were on board a ship wrecked off the Fife coast. Another says they were brought by one of his admirers, an English bishop from Hexham.
Both stories feature him appearing in the visions of Pictish kings to promise them victory over their enemies. In gratitude for this support churches were named in his honour and the X shaped cross was adopted as a symbol of Scotland.
Whatever route his remains may have taken, we know that by AD 908 the town of St Andrews had replaced the royal base of Abernethy as the religious centre of Scotland.
2016 BBC