View source for Apostle Andrew

[[Image:Andrew the First-Called.jpg|right|frame|Apostle Andrew the First-Called]]
The holy, glorious and all-laudable '''Apostle Andrew the First-Called''' was the first of the [[apostles]] of [[Jesus Christ]] and the brother of the [[Apostle Peter]].  His great [[missionary]] legacy led him to become the [[patron saint]] of several countries, including Romania and Scotland.  His [[feast day]] is [[November 30]].

==Life==
Andrew was a fisherman by trade, born in Bethsaida. A [[disciple]] of [[John the Forerunner]], he left St. John to follow [[Jesus Christ]] following his [[baptism]] and brought along his brother, the [[Apostle Peter]]. Both are numbered among the [[Apostles|Twelve Great Apostles]]. After [[Pentecost]], the lot fell to St. Andrew to preach in:
*[[Byzantium]]: he appointed St. [[Apostle Stachys|Stachys]] as its first [[bishop]]
*Thrace, Peloponnese, Greece, and Epirus: he [[conversion|converted]] many to the Faith and [[ordination|ordained]] [[bishop]]s and [[priest]]s for them
*Georgia: he entered [[Church of Georgia|Georgia]] from Ajara, preached Christianity in Atsquri, built small church there and left miracle-working icon of [[Theotokos]]. 
*Rus' lands: in [[Church of Ukraine|Kiev]] he planted a cross on one of the high hills of Kiev, and he prophesied a city that would have many golden-domed churches, and a bright Christian future for the Rus' people.

St. Andrew was [[martyr]]ed 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.

St. Andrew's [[relics]] were taken to Constantinople, his head to Rome and a hand to Moscow.

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4)

:Andrew, first-called of the Apostles
:and brother of the foremost disciple,
:entreat the Master of all
:to grant peace to the world
:and to our souls great mercy.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 2)

:Let us praise Andrew, the herald of God,
:the namesake of courage,
:the first-called of the Savior's disciples
:and the brother of Peter.
:As he once called to his brother, he now cries out to us:
:"Come, for we have found the One whom the world desires!"

== Source ==
*St. [[Nikolai Velimirovic]], ''The [[Prologue of Ohrid]]''

==See also==
*[[Missionary]]

==External links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=103450 Apostle Andrew, the Holy and All-Praised First-Called] ([[OCA]])
*[http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints/316 Andrew the First- Called Apostle] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://www.ec-patr.org/list/index.php?lang=en&id=1 Andrew the Apostle, the founder of the Church of Constantinople] - [[Church of Constantinople]] website  

[[Category:Biblical Saints|Andrew]]
[[Category:Martyrs|Andrew]]
[[Category:Saints|Andrew]]
[[Category:1st-century saints]]

[[ar:أندراوس]]
[[el:Απόστολος Ανδρέας]]
[[fr:Apôtre André]]
[[pt:Apóstolo André]]
[[ro:Apostolul Andrei (cel Întâi chemat)]]