Day 87 -- Saint Andrew

"Come, and you will see."

Somehow Saint Andrew has become associated with unmarried women and even has some strange superstitions attached to him. All I know is that I will pray to him today to help me discover God's plan in my life and I do not think marriage is part of that plan.

Saint Andrew was a fisherman by trade and he was Simon Peter's brother. He became a follower of John the Baptist. Saint Andrew was the first Apostle of Jesus. Saint Andrew went through his life leading others to Jesus. He was a missionary to Asia Minor and Greece, and even modern-day Russia and Poland. He was martyred in Greece on an x-shaped cross where it is said that he preached from there for two days before he died. The picture here is an saltire cross or as crux decussata, transverse cross, Saint Andrew’s cross or simply an x-shaped cross, representing his martyrdom.

In addition to being the patron of unmarried women, he is also the patron on Scotland and there are a few explanations for this. One is that in 345, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to bring Saint Andrew's bones from Greece to Constantinople, but an angel instructed Saint Regulus of Scotland to take the relics to the far northwest. He was told to stop on the Fife coast of Scotland and he found a settlement of Saint Andrew.

One of the marriage superstitions that has become associated with Saint Andrew is an old German tradition which says that single women who wish to marry should ask for Saint Andrew's help on the eve of his feast and they will see their future husbands in their dreams.

He is also the patron saint against gout, fishermen, and singers.


PRAYER
O Glorious Saint Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God. With your friend Saint John you remained with Jesus for that first day, for your entire life, and now throughout eternity.
As you led your brother Saint Peter to Christ and many others after him, draw us also to him. Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for him and dedication in his service. Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and to carry our daily crosses without complaint so that they may carry us to Jesus.