As the National Shrine of Saint Jude, we always remember special saints of these isles at our daily Mass. However, Saint Andrew is all the more special because he is a fellow Apostle to Saint Jude. Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland and we wish our friends in Scotland a happy Feast Day.
The New Testament tells us that Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter. He was born in the village of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. Both he and his brother Peter were fishermen by trade, and Jesus called them to be his disciples by saying that he will make them "fishers of men". At the beginning of Jesus' public life, they occupied the same house at Capernaum.
Tradition states that Andrew was martyred by crucifixion at the city of Patras in Achaea, on the northern coast of the Peloponnese. A tradition developed that Andrew had been crucified on a cross of the form called Crux decussata (X-shaped cross, or "saltire"), now commonly known as a "Saint Andrew's Cross" — at his own request, as he deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had been.
About the middle of the 10th century, Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland. Several legends state that the relics of Andrew were brought by divine guidance from Constantinople to the place where the modern town of St Andrews stands today.
Like Saint Jude, Andrew was one of the first messengers of the Good News. At the Shrine, we thank him for that and pray for all the Apostles on this special day.
St Andrew, pray for us. Saint Jude, pray for us.
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