Is St Andrew’s Day a public holiday in Scotland and how is the patron saint being celebrated?
ST Andrew's Day is Scotland's official national day and is celebrated annually on November 30.
Google has also marked the occasion with a Doodle in 2018 featuring the thistles dancing. Here's more about the day.
Is St Andrew's Day a public holiday in Scotland?
In 2006 the Scottish Parliament declared St Andrew's Day - or the feast of Saint Andrew - a bank holiday.
If November 30 falls on a weekend then the following Monday is made the public holiday instead.
Although it is a bank holiday, banks are not required to close and employers are not obliged to give their workers a day off.
The University of St Andrews traditionally gives the day off for all students as a free holiday but it's not a set rule.
Who was Saint Andrew?
Andrew the Apostle was a Christian and the elder brother of Saint Peter - both were disciples of Jesus.
He was a fisherman, and is often depicted with fishing nets, and was Jesus' first disciple - baptised by John the Baptist.
He is referenced throughout the the gospels in the Bible's New Testament and he preached regularly in an attempt to convert people to the Christian faith.
He is first mentioned in the Bible in the gospel of Matthew.
Andrew was a fisherman along with his brother Peter and Jesus called them to be his followers as the fishing on the Sea of Galilee.
He is also mentioned in the gospel according to John during the feeding of the 5,000.
It was he who brought the boy with the lunch of five loaves and two fish to Jesus - that eventually turned into a meal for them all.
He is only mentioned once after Jesus's resurrection and ascension into heaven, in Acts chapter 1, as he met with the other disciples in the upper room.
He was martyred on an X-shaped cross on November 30 60AD by order of the Roman governor Aegeas.
Relics of Andrew are scattered within the many countries who claim him as their patron saint.
They are kept at the Basilica of St Andrew in Greece, in Amalfi Cathedal (the Duomo di Sant'Andrea) in Italy, St Mary's Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh and the Church of St Andrew and St Albert in Poland.
He became Scotland's patron saint in the 10th century.
How is Saint Andrew being celebrated?
Scotland marks the national holiday with festivities, including traditional Scottish foods like haggis, neeps and tatties, as well as parades, music and dancing.
The celebration kicks off Scotland's winter festival season, which includes St Andrew's Day, Hogmanay (the last day of the year) and then Burns Night, which celebrates the life of the poet Robert Burns on his birthday - January 25.
In Edinburgh there is a week of celebrations, comprising of music and traditional ceilidh dancing, as well as parties in Glasgow and Dumfries.
The occasion is also marked around the world in countries with Scottish connections such as Barbados, which marks its national day of Independence on St Andrew's Day.
St Andrew’s Day celebrations in Scotland are thought to go back to the reign of Malcolm III, who moved the Samhain – Halloween – to coincide with this date in order to make sure enough animals were kept alive for winter stocks.
In 2018 a Google Doodle with dancing thistles was used to celebrate the special day.
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Who was St Andrew, what did he do and why is he the patron saint of Scotland?
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