When did St Andrew die and how did he become Scotland’s patron saint?

ON November 30 Scotland celebrates its patron saint St Andrew.

Here is the story of the Christian apostle who lived in the first century who is forever linked with Scotland.

Who was Saint Andrew and where did he die?

Hard facts about Saint Andrew are thin on the ground due to the passage of time although he was one of the original twelve apostles of Jesus and the brother of St Peter.

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.

St Andrew is said to have carried out missionary activities around the Black Sea.

He is thought to have died around 60-70AD in Patras, Achaia – now Greece.

What was his cause of death?

A fourth-century account reports his death by crucifixion with him being bound to the cross, rather than nailed.

Initially the cross was said to be a Latin cross, similar to the one on which Jesus died, but later accounts described it as a “crux decussate” – an X-shaped cross, or saltire which later became known as St Andrew’s Cross.

It is said this type of cross was used at his own request as he deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus.

When did he become Scotland's patron saint?

St Andrew has been celebrated in Scotland for more than a thousand years with feasts held in his honour as far back as 1000AD.

But it wasn’t until 1320 when Scotland declared independence with the Declaration of Arbroath that he officially became Scotland’s patron saint.

Scotland’s flag was named in his honour and the town of St Andrews was given the name as it claims to be the final resting place of the saint.

It is thought the remains of St Andrew were brought to Scotland from Constantinople to what is now St Andrews.

St Andrew isn’t just the patron saint of Scotland but also Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Barbados and Romania.

He's also the patron saint of fishmongers and fishermen.