Andrew the Apostle

Who they were

Andrew, a fisherman of Bethsaida in Galilee and a disciple of John the Baptist, was the first to be called by Jesus. Hearing John point to Him as the Lamb of God, he asked 'Master, where do you live?' and was told 'Come and see'; at once he ran to his brother Simon with the words 'We have found the Messiah.' Later, by the Sea of Galilee, the two brothers left their nets and followed Him.

He was one of the Twelve, brought the five loaves and two fish to Jesus before the feeding of the crowd, and led some Greeks who wanted to meet Him. Early Christian writers say he preached in Asia Minor and along the Black Sea; he is patron of Romania, Ukraine and Russia. Around the year 60, at Patras in Achaia, he was crucified on an X-shaped cross.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: Andrew has been honoured as an apostle and martyr since the earliest Church.

Why that counted as sanctity

Andrew's holiness is that of the first disciple: having found Christ, his first act was to bring his brother to Him, and he spent the rest of his life bringing others, until he embraced a cross like his Master's.

Connected on this site

• Saint Peter Saint Brother or sister
• John the Baptist Saint
  “The title First-Called (Πρωτόκλητος, Prōtoklētos) used by the Eastern Orthodox Church stems from the Gospel of John, where Andrew, initially a disciple of John the Baptist, follows Jesus and, recognising him as the Messiah, introduces his brother Simon Peter to him.” — Wikipedia
• Stachys the Apostle Saint
  “He seemed to be closely connected to Andrew the Apostle and Paul the Apostle.” — Wikipedia