(Illustrations: Members’ photos and Google images)

Born (?) Bethsaida, Galliea. Died 30 November AD69 Patras, Greece

St Andrew, a.k.a St Endres or St Andreas, as in the geological fault that makes Californian property such a risky investment, was born in Bethsaida on the shores of Lake Galilee.

Like his father, Jonas, and brother, Simon (later called Peter), he was a fisherman and, according to the Gospels, the family lived and worked in Capernaum.

Apart from mention of Simon’s mother-in-law, this is all we reliably know about the family, although various traditions exist that Andrew and Simon were cousins of Zebedee’s sons, James & John and possibly even of Jesus Himself. Less ambitious is that they were childhood playmates.

The Bible sums up Andrew’s life by naming him as an Apostle. This title was reserved for those men who were founders of the church and who had accompanied Jesus throughout His ministry. The exception, of course, was Saul of Tarsus – who qualified via the supplementary exam.

What can we surmise about the man?

Galilee was the junction of major trade routes, boosted by the port of Caesarea, the Coega project of the day, and young Andy grew up in a bustling, cosmopolitan society. As his family were boat owners, he appears to come from a middle-class background and, like many others, probably spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin.

Jews have always been known for their respect for learning and Andrew’s desire to learn led him to become a disciple of John the Baptist.

The defining moment of his life was when John pointed at Jesus and said “Behold the Lamb of God”. Andrew went to talk to Jesus and then went to tell Simon of his conviction that he had met the Messiah. The first Disciple’s faith was born in that meeting and would endure for the rest of his life.

Andrew was a man who looked for solutions, as can be seen at the feeding of the five thousand, when he was the only Disciple who did not stand around saying “We can’t do this, Jesus, it’ll blow the budget.”

This is a controversial episode. Ministers point to the five loaves and two fish and praise Andrew’s great faith in believing that his Lord could do something with them. Boards of management point to the twelve baskets of left-overs and criticise Andrew’s extravagance.

Andrew’s leadership position, as shown by fellow-Disciple, Philip, deferring to him when some Greeks wished to be introduced to Jesus, is eclipsed in literature by events over which he had no control.

Peter, whose charge sheet includes assault with a deadly weapon, perjury, inciting civil disobedience and escaping from prison, simply scans better for popular readership. Thomas is remembered for his reaction to the resurrection, “Pull this one. It’s got bells.” And Paul wrote lots of letters telling people of his modesty and listing, in great detail, all the things he could boast about if only he wasn’t so humble.

Andrew took the great commission to go into all the world seriously and his missionary travels are said to have covered Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor, Russia, Ukraine and eastern Europe up to Poland.

During the reign of Nero, Andrew incurred the enmity of the proconsul (governor) of Patras and was crucified on 30 November AD 69. Feeling unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord, Andrew asked to be crucified on an X-shaped cross.

He was tied, not nailed, to the cross in order to prolong his suffering. It took him two days to die. During this time he lived up to his name, which means “manhood” or “valour” and, making the best of a bad situation, continued to preach the Gospel.

His cross is said to have arrived at the abbey of St Victor in Marseilles before AD 1250 and is still there.

Sceptics point out that the shape of the cross is probably a 14th century invention as earliest depictions show a conventional cross and early versions of the story say Andrew was nailed to an olive tree.

Andrew is the patron of: Scotland. Russia. Romania. Norway. Achaia & Patras (Greece). University of Patras. Amalfi (Italy). Lampertheim (Germany). Burgundy. Diocese of Constantinople. Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA;

As befits his occupation he is patron of: fish dealers; fish mongers; fishermen and anglers and (a ladies man) of maidens; old maids; spinsters; unmarried women and women who wish to become mothers.

By way of variety, his portfolio concludes with gout, singers and sore throats.

What is the Scottish connection?

In AD 369 St Rule a.k.a. St Regulus was told in a dream to take Andrew’s bones from Constantinople to “the ends of the earth.” St Regulus is believed to be a Greek monk or an Irish assistant to St Columba.

St Columba, you will recall, is the fellow who told Nessie to “Get back in yon loch and stop being such a silly monster!” That there have been no reliable monster sightings since is proof that the early churchmen were not fat and jovial Friar Tucks.

St Regulus took a tooth, an arm bone, a kneecap and some fingers. He was shipwrecked where St Andrew’s is now sited and, instead of a quick 9 holes at the Royal and Ancient, he built a church and preached to the heathen.

In AD 832 the Pictish King, Angus McFergus, was not a happy camper. Together with the Scots, the Picts had been raiding Northumbria and the Saxon Warlord – Athelstane – was not prepared to see this as “the-lads-having-a-wee-bit-fun.”

Just as Angus was concluding that he had bitten off the proverbial, St Andrew appeared, in a dream, promising victory. When Angus awoke he saw a white X-shaped cloud formation against the blue dawn sky. The Picts and Scots won a great, if bloody, victory over the Northumbrians by trapping them in a bottleneck at the only way across the River Peffer, in East Lothian. The town is known as Athelstaneford to this day.

A grateful Angus gave the church 10% of all the land in his dominions.

By AD845 Kenneth II, king of the Scots, had appropriated the other 90% and the Picts faded into history. Taking no chances on patronage, Kenneth also repaired and richly endowed the church where Andrew’s arm was kept. The relics were probably destroyed during the Scottish Reformation and a plaque in the ruins of St Andrew’s cathedral marks the spot where they were kept.

In AD 1320 St Andrew was officially recognised as Patron Saint in the “Declaration of Arbroath” which asserted Scotland’s independence from England and was signed by Robert the Bruce and many of Scotland’s nobles.

In AD 1879 a small part of St Andrew’s shoulder blade was sent by the Archbishop of Amalfi to the re-established Roman Catholic community in Scotland and in AD 1969 Pope Pius VI gave Gordon Gray, newly appointed as the first Scottish Cardinal since the Reformation, further relics of St Andrew with the words “St Peter gives you his brother.” These are in St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh.

A sceptic has remarked: “If every church around the world that claims to have a piece of St Andrew were to get together and assemble his collected remains, St Andrew would probably prove to be a remarkable man of 12 legs, 9 hands, 300 teeth and more ribs than a woolly mammoth.”

In the final analysis, which of the stories of St Andrew are true and which are myth is not important. What matters is that he was an ordinary man of ordinary circumstances whose unwavering faith has made his memory immortal.

Like his Lord, he left no personal records of his life. In serving his Lord, the impact of his life has changed history and encouraged many to serve as he served.