นักบุญอันดรูว์ อัครสาวก

ศตวรรษที่ 1 (ฉลอง 30 พฤศจิกายน)

 

นักบุญอันดรูว์ มีชื่อมาจากภาษากรีก ซึ่งหมายความว่า "สมเป็นชายชาติบุรุษ" ดูเหมือนท่านเป็นคนใจกว้าง มีความพร้อมเสมอ เปิดเผยและกระตือรือร้น ท่านเป็นน้องชายนักบุญเปโตร และเป็นศิษย์ของนักบุญยอห์น บัปติสต์ วันหนึ่งขณะที่ท่านยอห์น บัปติสต์อยู่กับสาวกสองคน คนหนึ่งคือนักบุญอันดรูว์ เมื่อเห็นพระเยซูเจ้าเสด็จมา ท่านยอห์นจึงบอกศิษย์ของท่านว่า "ท่านผู้นี้แหละคือลูกแกะของพระเจ้า" และศิษย์ทั้งสองก็ได้ติดตามพระเยซูเจ้าไป (ยน.1:35-42) นักบุญอันดรูว์เป็นผู้นำเปโตรให้มาพบพระเยซูเจ้า พระองค์จึงตรัสกับอันดรูว์และเปโตรว่า "จงตามเรามาเถิด เราจะให้ท่านเป็นชาวประมงจับมนุษย์" (มก.1:17)

นักบุญอันดรูว์ได้ไปจาริก และประกาศพระศาสนจักรยังประเทศกรีก รัสเซียและโปแลนด์ ท่านได้สิ้นใจเป็นมรณสักขีโดยการถูกจับตรึงกางเขนไขว้เป็นรูปอักษร X ในภาษาอังกฤษ

Andrew the Apostle

Also known as
Andreas the Apostle; Endres the Apostle

Memorial
30 November

Profile
The first Apostle. Fisherman. Brother of Simon Peter. Follower of John the Baptist. Went through life leading people to Jesus, both before and after the Crucifixion. Missionary in Asia Minor and Greece, and possibly areas in modern Russia and Poland. Martyred on an saltire (x-shaped) cross, he is said to have preached for two days from it.

Some peculiar marriage-related superstitions have attached themselves to Saint Andrew's feast day.

An old German tradition says that single women who wish to marry should ask for Saint Andrew's help on the Eve of his feast, then sleep naked that night; they will see their future husbands in their dreams. Another says that young women should note the location of barking dogs on Saint Andrew's Eve: their future husbands will come from that direction.

On the day after Andrew's feast, young people float cups in a tub; if a boy's and a girl's cup drift together and are intercepted by a cup inscribed "priest", it indicates marriage.

There are several explanations for why Andrew became the patron of Scotland.

In 345, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to translate Andrew's bones from Patras to Constantinople. Saint Regulus was instructed by an angel to take many of these relics to the far northwest. He was eventally told to stop on the Fife coast of Scotland, where he founded the settlement of Saint Andrew.

In the 7th century, Saint Wilfrid brought some of the saint's relics with him after a pilgrimage to Rome. The Scots king, Angus MacFergus, installed them at Saint Andrew's to enhance the prestige of the new diocese.

When the Pictish King Angus faced a large invading army, he prayed for guidance. A white cloud in the form of a saltire cross floated across the blue sky above him. Angus won a decisive victory, and decreed that Andrew would be the patron saint of his country. Following Robert Bruce's victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the Declaration of Arbroath officially named Saint Andrew the patron saint of Scotland. The Saltire became the national flag of Scotland in 1385.

Born

at Bethsaida

Died

crucified on a saltire (x-shaped) cross in Greece

Name Meaning
strong, manly (Andrew)

Patronage

Achaia; Amalfi, Italy; anglers; Berchtesgaden, Germany; Burgundy; diocese of Constantinople; fish dealers; fish mongers; fishermen; gout; diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Greece; Lampertheim, Germany; maidens; old maids; Patras, Greece; Plymouth, England; Russia; Scotland; singers; sore throats; Spanish armed forces; spinsters; University of Patras; unmarried women; women who wish to become mothers

Representation

fish; fishing net; man bound to a cross; man preaching from a cross; old man with long white hair and a beard, holding the Gospel in his right hand, and leaning on a transverse cross; preacher holding some fish; Saint Andrew's cross; saltire (x-shaped) cross

Readings

After Andrew had stayed with Jesus and had learned much from him, he did not keep this treasure to himself, but hastened to share it with his brother Peter. Notice what Andrew said to him: "We have found the Messiah, that is to say, the Christ." Notice how his words reveal what he has learned in so short a time. They show the power of the master who has convinced them of this truth. Andrew's words reveal a soul waiting with the utmost longing for the coming of the Messiah, looking forward to his appearing from heaven, rejoicing when he does appear, and hastening to announce to great an event to others. To support one another in the things of the spirit is the true sign of good will between brothers, loving kinship and sincere affection.

from a homily on the Gospel of John by Saint John Chrysostom