Video: The story of Scotland's patron saint, St Andrew

Saint Andrew has been celebrated in Scotland for more than 1,000 years.

On November 30 we celebrate Scotland’s patron saint with St Andrew’s Day.

An early figure in Christianity, Andrew was born between 5 AD and 10 AD.

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He and his brother Simon Peter were fishermen from the largest port in Palestine, Bethsaida.

A Saint Andrew's cross in the sky plays an important role in one theory of his adoption as our patron saintA Saint Andrew's cross in the sky plays an important role in one theory of his adoption as our patron saint
A Saint Andrew's cross in the sky plays an important role in one theory of his adoption as our patron saint

He, his brother, John and James became the first apostles of twelve that would stay by Jesus’ side.

There’s actually very little mention of Andrew in the bible other than his attendance at the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 in John’s gospel.

He is perhaps most well known for the circumstances surrounding his martyrdom. The white saltire on the Scottish flag is symbolic of the diagonal cross on which St Andrew was crucified by the Romans.

Even when faced with certain death, the condemned man is said to have not deemed himself worthy of dying on the same shape of cross as his saviour.

A Saint Andrew's cross in the sky plays an important role in one theory of his adoption as our patron saintA Saint Andrew's cross in the sky plays an important role in one theory of his adoption as our patron saint
A Saint Andrew's cross in the sky plays an important role in one theory of his adoption as our patron saint

Scots have been celebrating Saint Andrew - also patron saint of fishermen - for a thousand years.

To hear working theories about why St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, you can watch the video in the player above.

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