My Maine Ancestry: Celebrating St. Andrew's Day

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Celebrating St. Andrew's Day

St. Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland. St and it is his flag that symbolizes Scotland. St. Andrew's Day is celebrated on November 30th. St. Andrew is also the patron saint of Romania, Greece, and Russia, probably because it is believed that he preached around the shores of the Black Sea.

Who was St. Andrew? He was a fisherman, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and a brother of St. Peter (founder of the Church). Scottish people used this connection to appeal to the Pope for protection from the English kings who sought to conquer them. This Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320 and asserted Scotland's independence from England.
Why St. Andrew? Legend is that a Greek monk had a vision to safeguard some relics of St. Andrew and he took them as far away as he could, to the coast of Fife. This is where the town of St. Andrews is located. Also in 832 AD the Picts were battling the Angles of Northumbria and on the day of the battle a Saltire, an x-shaped cross, appeared in the sky above the battlefield and the Picts were victorious.
Where did the St. Andrew's Cross come from? It is believed that St. Andrew died on an X-shaped cross at Patras in Greece.
St. Andrew is the patron saint of fishmongers, old maids, women wishing to become mothers, spinsters, singers, sore throats, and gout.

Some Scottish ancestors

John Bean or MacBean
William Yates
John Hayes

Pictures from my visit to the ruins of St. Andrew's Cathedral in St. Andrews, Scotland.