St Andrew First Disciple of Christ

St Andrew

Feast Day 30^th of November

First Disciple of Christ

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah." And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:40-42)

Being Christ’s first disciple, Andrew’s Feast Day is centred around Advent Sunday, making him the first Saint to be celebrated in The Christian Calendar every year

Patron Saint of Scotland and Russia and fishermen.  

I find it quite amazing that the 1^st Apostle’s life I have the opportunity of sharing with you has played a very significant role within my life.

The First Church that I ever attended as a baby in arms was dedicated to St Andrew (pictured Below)

The first Hospital I ever worked in was St Andrew’s Hospital in Northampton (Pictured below) Which incidentally was built on the former site of St Andrew’s Priory in Northampton

So who was this guy who played so much a part of my life?

Andrew a Greek Name which means Manly, and popular within The Jewish Community between the second and third Century BC, was a born in Bethsaida Galilee (Which simply means Place of Fishing)

Between 5AD-10AD, son of Jona and Joanna, brother of Simon Peter and Jona. He would have been educated at synagogue school, and studied The Hebrew Scriptures, Astrology and Arithmetic.

Eventually Andrew became a fisherman, alongside his Business Partner Zebedee his Brother Simon Peter and Zebedee’s sons James and John

He was originally a disciple of John The Baptist who’s testimony on seeing Jesus ‘Behold The Lamb of God’ lead Andrew and John The Evangelist to become Christ’s first disciple.

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John The Baptist had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

John 1:40-42

It was also Andrew who brought the boy to Jesus instituting the Miracle of The feeding of the 5000

One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him:  "There is a boy here that has five barley loaves and two fishes. But what are these among so many?"

 John 6:8-9

He is considered to be the founder of The See of The Byzantine Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople regard Andrew as Their Patron Saint (His Brother Peter was the founder of The See of The Roman Catholic Church)

His preaching Ministry took him to Asia Minor and along the Black Sea to Volga and Kiev.

Andrew was Martyred during the reign of Nero by Crucifixion in Patras Greece. Like his brother Andrew chose not to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus, so he was tied to his Cross by rope, not nailed, and left to hang there for several days, where he continued to preach until he eventually died on 30^th of November AD60.