The Apostle Andrew

The First Apostle Andrew the brother of Peter who became the symbol for the Church of the West is know as the symbol of the Church of the East. His parent's were Joanna and Jona. Andrew and Peter were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. As their father had been. It is a little known fact that Andrew, Peter, James and John were partners in a fishing business prior to being called by Jesus to follow Him.

Andrew began his missionary activity in the Provinces of Vithynia and Pontus on the southern shores of the Black Sea. He then went to Byzantium and founded the Christian Church there, ordaining the first Bishop of Byzantium, Stachys, who was one of the 70 disciples of the Lord. In Amisos, he converted the Jews in the temple, baptized them, healed their sick, built a church, and left a priest for them. In Bithynia, he taught, healed their sick, and drove away the wild beasts that bothered them. His prayers destroyed the pagan temples, and those who resisted his words became possessed and gnawed at their bodies until Andrew healed them.

On one of his journeys to Greece, Andrew visited the City of Patras. Through his preaching and the miracles of healing he performed, in the name of Jesus, many were converted to Christianity. Among those healed were Maximilla, the wife of the Roman Proconsul, Aegeates. Seeing this miracle of healing, Stratoklis, the brother of the Proconsul, also became a Christian, and Andrew consecrated and called him as the first Bishop of Patras.

As a prophet, he foretold of the greatness of Kiev as a city and a stronghold of Christianity. In Sinope, he prayed for the imprisoned Apostle Matthias, and his chains fell off him and the cell door flung opened. As is what happens to many of the disciples Andrew was beaten and left for dead in a dung heap. Jesus came to him and healed him, telling him to not be afraid. When the people who had beaten him saw him the next day, they were amazed and they believed. At another time, he raised a woman's only son from the dead.

When his own family members converted to Christianity the Proconsul Aegeates became quite upset and decided, with the urging of the idolators who advised him, to crucify Andrew. The crucifixion was carried out on an X-shaped cross with the body of the Apostle upside down so that he saw neither the earth nor his executioners, but only the sky which he glorified as the heaven in which he would meet his Lord. Aegeates had him tied to the cross in this manner so that he would live longer and suffer more.

There were twenty thousand faithful that came to mourn. Andrew still continued to teach and exhort them. He taught them to endure temporary sufferings for the kingdom of heaven. Aegeates came to remove Andrew from the cross because he became fearful of the mourners. Andrew, however, told Aegeates he could still become a Christian. Andrew went on to tell Aegeates that he had already seen Jesus and he would not allow himself to be removed from the cross. Many tried to undo the knots, but their hands all became numb. Suddenly, a heavenly light illumined Andrew for about a half hour. When it left, Andrew had given up his spirit.

Bishop Stratoklis and Maximilla came and removed his body from the cross and buried him with all of the honor befitting the Apostle. Soon countless numbers of Christians made their way to Patras to pay reverence to the grave of Andrew, and when Aegeates realized that the man he had put to death was truly a holy man of God a demon fell upon him and tormented him so powerfully that he committed suicide. It is believed that Andrew died on the last day of November, 69 AD.

In March of 357 the Emperor Constantine (son of Constantine The Great) ordered that the body of Saint Andrew be removed from Patras and be reburied in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. With all the magnificence and honor of the Byzantine Empire and the Great Church of Christ at Constantinople, Saint Andrew was returned to the City that had first heard the message of Jesus Christ from his lips. Thus he became in death, as well as in life, the founder of the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople. His relics are in Constantinople along with the Apostle Luke and Timothy, the disciple of Paul, in the Church of the Apostles.

Andrew became known in all parts of the world. According to tradition a part of the remains of Andrew were taken to Scotland, as he was chosen the Protector of the Scottish people. The Cross of Saint Andrew adorns the British flag where it was placed after the union of Scotland and England. The skull of Andrew was kept in Patras until the year 1460 when Thomas Paleologos, the last ruler of the Morea, brought the skull to Rome. In 1967, under the orders of Pope Paul of the Roman Church, the skull was returned to Patras with all of the pomp and dignity of the Papal State. He remains the patron saint of Russia, Scotland and Romania to this day.

Today the voice of Saint Andrew continues to call on all Christians, especially the Orthodox Christians throughout the world, who celebrate his memory on November 30th in the liturgical year. His unstilled spirit beckons across the centuries proclaiming: "The Saviour of the world has come! He is the Christ, the Son of God!" This is the call of Saint Andrew to all men for "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow" (Hebrews 13:8).

Source: The Search For The Twelve Apostles, William McBirnie, PH.D Written by J. MacRory. Transcribed by Christine J. Murray. Dedicated to Andrew E. Murray The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Published 1907. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York James E. Kiefer http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/294.html Biographical Sketches.