Saint
Andrew and the Town of St Andrews
Saint Andrew is the
Patron Saint of Scotland, and St Andrews Day is celebrated by Scots
around the world on November 30th. The Flag of Scotland is the Cross
of St Andrew, also known as the Saltire, and this is widely displayed
as a symbol of national identity
A disciple of Jesus
and the brother of Simon Peter, Saint Andrew worked as a fisherman
until he responded to the summons from Jesus to follow him and become
"fishers of men". Having met Jesus, Andrew then finds his
brother and brings him to Jesus.
Although less
prominent than his brother, Andrew was present at the feeding of the
five thousand where he says "Here is a lad with five barley
loaves and two fish" (John 6:8). He is also recorded as leading a
number of Greek-speaking Jews, after they had approached Philip, to
speak with Jesus (John12:20-22).
Thus, on each
occasion that Andrew is mentioned as an individual in the Gospel, it
is because he is instrumental in bringing others to meet the Saviour.
In the Episcopal Church, the Fellowship of Saint Andrew is devoted to
encouraging personal evangelism, and the bringing of one's friends and
colleagues to a knowledge of the Gospel of Christ. According to later
traditions, Andrew became a missionary to Asia Minor, Macedonia, and
Southern Russia (of which he is also the patron Saint). In AD70, he
was martyred in Patras, Greece.
Having many
converts, he was feared by the Roman Governor who had him crucified on
an X-shaped cross known as a Saltire Cross.
St Andrew's bones
were entombed, and around 300 years later, they were removed by
Emperor Constantine (the Great) to his new capital Constantinople.
Legend suggests that
a Greek Monk (although others describe him as an Irish assistant of
St. Columba) called St. Rule (or St. Regulus) was warned in a dream
that St. Andrews remains were to be moved and was directed by an angel
to take those of the remains which he could to the "ends of the
earth" for safe-keeping. St. Rule dutifully followed these
directions, removing a tooth, an arm bone, a kneecap and some fingers
from St. Andrew's tomb and transporting these as far away as he could.
That place was
Scotland. More specifically, it was a town on the north east coast of
Fife called Kilrymont, now St Andrews.
The great Cathedral
of St Andrews was a centre of pilgrimage. From the south they crossed
the Forth at Queensferry and made their way to Cupar and thence via
Guardbridge to St Andrews. Hostels strategically placed along the
route catered for this medieval tourist industry. They came to seek a
cure for their illness, or to atone for their sins.
Many also came
because they had promised to make such a pilgrimage if divine
intervention answered their payers.
Thousands upon
thousands of pilgrims came each year for hundreds of years to worship
at the shrine of the relics of the Apostle and Martyr, St Andrew of
Bethsaida in Galilee, who was made Patron Saint of Scotland.
Having the largest
cathedral in Scotland and one of the most celebrated in Europe, St
Andrews was closely involved in the events of the Protestant
Reformation. These events lead to the ultimate desecration and neglect
of the Cathedral.
The Reformation was
a time of great trouble in St Andrews with martyrs of the faith being
burnt at the stake for purported heresy including Patrick Hamilton
(Feb. 1527), then Henry Forest (1533) who was burnt on the north side
of the Cathedral so that the people in Forfarshire could see the
flames as a deadly warning.
George Wishart was
next and in April 1558, Walter Myln. These martyrs of the Reformation
are commemorated in the Martyrs Monument at the western end of the
Scores overlooking the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
There is no evidence
that St Andrews was ever a walled city, but in the troubled times
around the 16th century the outer extremities of all streets and wynds
were closed by ports or gates. The rear walls of gardens formed the
only additional defence. The only port to remain today is the West
Port on South Street which, however, was extensively remodeled in
1843.
The development of
St Andrews as a burgh began sometime between 1144 and 1153 when it was
raised to such a status by Bishop Robert with the active enthusiasm
and permission of David I. In 1614 St Andrews was made a Burgh of
Regality and in 1620 James VI confirmed it as a Royal Burgh.
