About St. Andrew's
Andrew (meaning manly, brave), son of Jonah, was born in Galilee. He was the elder brother of Simon Peter and both were fishermen. From the Gospel of St. John, we learn that St. Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, whose testimony first led him to follow Jesus. St. Andrew at once recognized Jesus as the Messiah and hastened to introduce Him to his brother.
In the Gospel of Matthew, it is said Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and saw Andrew and Simon Peter fishing. It is then he asked the two to become disciples and "fishers of men." Prior to the final call to the apostolate, they were called to a closer companionship and then they left all things to follow Jesus.
St. Andrew went on to preach the Good News around the shores of the Black Sea and throughout what is now Greece and Turkey. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion in Patras. He was bound, rather than nailed, to a cross, as is described in the Acts of Andrew. He was crucified on a cross form known as "crux decussata," which is an X-shaped cross or a "saltire." Today this is commonly referred to as "St. Andrew's Cross." It is believed Andrew requested to be crucified this way, because he deemed himself "unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus."
St. Andrew was the first apostle called by Our Lord and in the various lists of Apostles given in the New Testament he is always numbered among the first four. As one of the Twelve, St. Andrew was admitted to the closest familiarity with Our Lord during His public life; he was present at the Last Supper; beheld the risen Lord; witnessed the Ascension; shared in the graces and gifts of the first Pentecost and helped, amid threats and persecution, to establish the Faith in Palestine.
St. Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen and singers. He is also the patron saint to several countries and cities including: Scotland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and Patras and his feast day is celebrated on November 30.