St. Andrew — Patron saint of Fishermen and also called the first
missionary.
A fisherman of Bethsaida in Galilee, Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist and the first of Jesus' disciples. Once he had resolved to follow Jesus he fetched his brother Simon (later called Peter) and Jesus called on them both to leave their nets: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Andrew is always among the first of the four apostles in the Gospel lists and is mentioned in particular at the mir\acle of the 5,000, where he drew Jesus' attention to the boy carrying the loaves and fishes.
Reports of his life after the Crucifixion are unreliable. He is said to have been a missionary in Asia Minor; Macedonia and south Russia; and to have been martyred, by being bound to an X-shaped cross, in Patras in Greece. Yet another legend describes a journey to Ethipoia. His patronage of fishermen is based on his way of life.
We shall be concerned with the other aspect of "fishers of men" as prophesied by Jesus and exemplified by his reported first action of calling his brother to Jesus.
|
Collect Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Saint Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ and brought his brother with him: call us by your holy word, and give us grace to follow you without delay and to tell the good news of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. |
Feast Day - 30th November.
Patronages - Fishermen; Scotland; Russia.
Emblems - X-shaped cross; fishing net; fish.