The Story of St Andrew

According to the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, Jesus called Andrew and Peter at the same time. Andrew told Peter he’d seen the Messiah and took him to where he was. Early church legends recount that he travelled to the area around the Black Sea, taking the Gospel to the people there.

St Jerome records that in 357 St Andrew’s relics (bones) were taken from Patras to Constantinople, the new city and capital of the Holy Roman Empire at the command of the Roman Emperor Constantine.

Due to the schism of the western and eastern Churches, the bones were moved to Amalfi, Italy. Andrew's head was later moved to St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, but returned to Patras by Pope Paul VI in 1964. 

There are several legends linking the saint to Scotland. One says that Regulus (or Rule), a monk from Patras carried some of the bones to the Pictish settlement of Kilrymont inspired by a dream that he had. Regulus later became a saint.

This site, on the shores of Fife, was renamed St Andrews. St Rule’s Church was built there in 1130  to house the relics, and the 33m tall St Rule’s Tower (which still stands) would have helped to guide pilgrims who came to visit this shrine. The church was the largest church in Medieval Scotland.

Another legend tells how, in 835 the Pictish King Angus saw the white cross of St Andrew against the bright blue sky on the battlefield at Athelstaneford (now in East Lothian), a portent of victory for the Picts and Scots against Northumbria.

After this time, the St Andrew’s cross or saltire was taken up in battle, and increasingly used by the Scottish royalty and nobility as an emblem of Scotland. 

By 1286, the Great Seal of the Guardians of Scotland – used to authenticate official documents – had incorporated the St Andrew’s cross. In 1385, the Scottish Parliament also decreed that soldiers should display the saltire 'before and behind'.

In 1672, when the Public Register of Arms was established, the St Andrew’s cross was the cross also featured on Scottish coins of the 14th century and was recorded as the official badge of Scotland. 

The cross also featured on Scottish coins of the 14th century and was used on masts to distinguish Scottish ships. In 1511, the Great Michael – the largest warship of the time – sailed under the saltire.

Local superstition records how, in parts of Scotland, the St Andrew’s cross was placed over fireplaces to stop witches from flying down the chimney and entering the house. 

 In 1729, Scottish immigrants formed the St Andrew’s Society in Charleston, South Carolina, the oldest Scottish society of its type in the world. This was followed by the St Andrew’s Society of the State of New York – the oldest charity of any kind registered in New York, and with the aim of helping the poor of the city.    

From these origins, St Andrew’s Societies have spread across the world, and are active today in supporting and aiding their local communities. St Andrew's day is known worldwide as a celebration of Scotland.

Some of the relics of St Andrew are preserved in the National Shrine of St Andrew, St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh and today St Andrew's day on November 30th is marked worldwide as a celebration of Scottish culture.