St Andrew, Patron Saint of Scotland
Apostle Crucified by the Romans Became Scottish Icon
Nov 26, 2008
Scottish people in all corners of the globe celebrate St Andrew's Day on November 30th, commemorating Scotland's patron saint whose death influenced the design of the national flag.
Saint Andrew, Apostle and Martyr
Saint Andrew was a fisherman from Bethsaida in Galilee (present day Israel) who, along with his older brother Simon Peter, became an apostle of Jesus Christ. No conclusive evidence had been found to explain how his life ended but the most likely explanation is that he was crucified by the Romans in southern Greece. This is where the diagonal cross on the Scottish flag is thought to originate from, as it was a design used by the Romans when crucifying their enemies. The Scottish flag design is sometimes known as the St Andrew’s Cross.
Following his death Saint Andrew’s remains were interred, only to be moved to Constantinople (present day Istanbul) 300 years later by Emperor Constantine the Great. From there remains of the saint ended up in different places. Some arrived in Scotland, although there are several theories as to how they found their way there.
There are two theories which appear more credible than the others. One is that Acca, Bishop of Hexham (an avid collector of relics) purchased the remains and took them to the town of St Andrews on Scotland’s east coast. There is also a theory involving Saint Rule, who it is claimed brought some of Saint Andrew's remains to Scotland after experiencing a dream in which an angel told him to take them as far away from Constantinople as possible. There is a tangible link to St Rule evident in St Andrews today, where a tower named after him still stands.
A chapel was constructed in St Andrews to house the remains, eventually being replaced by a cathedral. The remains disappeared, probably destroyed during the Scottish Reformation. Some other remains found their way to Amalfi in Italy. A fragment was gifted to Scotland during the 19th century. Small pieces were also returned to Scotland in 1969, and can be seen in St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh.
St Andrew’s Day, Celebrating Scotland’s Patron Saint
St Andrew’s Day is celebrated on November 30th each year by Scottish people all over the world. He is also the patron saint of several other countries, including Romania and Russia. From 2007 November 30th (or the nearest Monday in the event of it falling on a weekend) became a voluntary public holiday in Scotland. It is considered to be a day for celebrating Scottish culture and achievements. The town of St Andrews stages numerous events during a week-long celebration.
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