St. Andrew the Apostle

Andrew was a fisherman by trade, born in Bethsaida. A disciple of St. John the Forerunner, he left St. John to follow Jesus Christ following his baptism and brought along his brother, the Apostle Peter.
St. Andrew was martyred in Peloponnese, in the city of Patras. The Proconsul Aegeates' family believed in the miracles and preaching of St. Andrew, and the enraged Proconsul tortured and crucified St. Andrew. The new converts wanted to remove him from his cross, but the saint would not allow them. Instead, he comforted them from the cross and as he prayed an extraordinary light encompassed him for about a half hour. When it left, he gave up his soul. It was the year 62 AD.
Relics of the Apostle Andrew are kept at the Basilica of St Andrew in Patras, Greece; the Duomo di Sant'Andrea in Amalfi, Italy; St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland and the Church of St Andrew and St Albert in Warsaw, Poland. There are also numerous smaller reliquaries throughout the world.

About the middle of the 10th century St.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 (Gaelic, Cill Rìmhinn).

 (the Saltire (or "St. Andrew's Cross") is the national flag of Scotland)

St Andrew the Apostle is celebrated on 30th November. On the Greek island of Rhodes, it’s customary to make Loukoumades (donuts) or Tiganites to honour the Saint.

 There’s even a unique blessing custom among the local women. Before frying the Loukoumades, the cook dips her finger in the oil and makes the sign of the Cross on the pantry doors in the hope that St Andrew will ensure the household would always have food. Loukoumades recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/loukoumades/

 

The calling of Sts. Peter & Andrew