Life of St. Andrew the First-Called summary. Andrew the First-Called - intercessor and patron of Orthodox Christians
On December 13, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. " Orthodox life"prepared several interesting facts about the life of the apostle.
Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Byzantium. Greece. Macedonia. XIV century Location: USA, Baltimore, Walters Art Museum
1. When did the Apostle Andrew first see Jesus Christ?
Andrew was born in Vibsaida, the son of Jonah and the brother of the Apostle Peter. Together with his brother, they were fishermen. Having learned that John the Baptist was preaching in the Jordan and talking about the coming of the Messiah, Andrei went to the Jordan and became a disciple of John the Baptist. There are differences in the descriptions of the evangelists Matthew and John of the meeting of the Apostle Andrew with the Savior. John narrates that Andrew first saw the Savior when the holy Forerunner pointed to the walking Jesus Christ, “Behold the Lamb of God,” Matthew - that the Savior met the brothers on the shore of Lake Gennesaret when they were fishing and turned to them with the words: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” In both cases, Apostle Andrew unconditionally believes in Christ and makes a decision without delay or doubt. He leaves his home, household, networks and, without hesitation, follows Christ...
The calling of Simon and Andrew to apostolic service (Mark 1:14-18). XI century One of 72 bronze door plates Cathedral (Duomo di Benevento). 1170-1220 Italy, Benevento
2. What episodes are there in the Gospel associated with the name of the Apostle Andrew?
It was the Apostle Andrew who pointed out to Christ a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, which were then miraculously multiplied to feed the crowd (John 6:8-9). Together with Philip, he brought to the Savior some Greeks who wanted to worship the true God (John 12:20-22). Andrew was also one of the four disciples of Jesus, to whom He told on the Mount of Olives about the destinies of the world (Mark 13:3).
3. Was the Apostle Andrew in Rus'?
On the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire, and they spoke in different languages. Then the apostles cast lots: who should go to which country to preach. Andrew received the lands of Bethany and Propontis, the lands of Thrace and Macedonia, as well as the lands of Thessaly and Scythia. He went through all these countries preaching the Gospel to the pagans.
It is not known exactly how far the apostle went north in his wanderings. A later legend has been preserved that he climbed up the Dnieper and consecrated the place on which the city of Kyiv was later built. He also got to the Novgorod land and was surprised at the Slavic custom of taking a steam bath. The Apostle Andrew’s visit to the Russian land is described in the “Sermon on Law and Grace” (1051) Metropolitan of Kyiv Hilarion, as well as in The Tale of Bygone Years.
Apostle Andrew the First-Called, mosaic "Christ and the 12 Apostles", fragment. VI century Italy. Ravenna. Basilica of San Vitale. Altar
4. Who erected the cross on the Kyiv mountains?
According to legend, the Apostle Andrew, having decided to go from Korsun to Rome, climbed up the Dnieper and stopped for the night in the Kyiv mountains. Rising in the morning, he said: “Believe me, the grace of God will shine on these mountains, a great city will be here, and the Lord will erect many churches there and enlighten this entire land with holy baptism.” Then the saint blessed the mountains and erected a cross.
5. What was the last city the Apostle Andrew visited?
The Apostle Andrew suffered a lot from the pagans on his way. He was expelled from cities and stoned. But he still relentlessly continued to preach about the Savior and performed miracles. The last city where Saint Andrew came and where he was destined to die a martyr’s death was the city of Patras. There he also performed many miracles and preached tirelessly and passionately. Almost all the citizens of the city converted to Christianity. But the ruler Egeat remained a pagan. It was he who ordered the execution of the apostle.
6. How did they want to save the apostle from martyrdom?
When the holy apostle was placed in prison, the people turned to him. They wanted to kill Egeat and free Andrei from prison. But the apostle restrained them, saying: “Do not turn the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ into a devilish rebellion.” Our Lord, being betrayed to death, showed all patience, did not argue, did not cry out. Therefore, you too remain silent and calm.
Council of the Twelve Apostles; Byzantium, Constantinople; XIV century; Location: Russia. Moscow. State Museum of Art History named after. A.S. Pushkin
7. How did the Apostle Andrew die?
The angry Egeat ordered Saint Andrew to be crucified on the cross, tying his hands and feet, so that the apostle would not die immediately, but would suffer for a long time. An oblique cross in the shape of the letter X was chosen for the execution (which is why such a cross is now called St. Andrew's). About 20 thousand gathered in the square, people exclaimed: “The holy man is suffering unjustly!” Saint Andrew continued to preach from the cross. He taught that temporary torment must be endured. “After all, no torment is worth anything in comparison with the reward that comes with it!”
On the second day, the people surrounded the house of Egeat and demanded that the apostle be taken down from the cross. “A holy, honest, meek and wise man should not suffer like this!” Egeat was afraid of the popular unrest. And he immediately went after them to free Andrei. - Lord, do not let me be taken down from the cross! – Andrey exclaimed, “receive my spirit in peace!” Many people tried to untie him from the cross, but could not. Their hands became dead. Then a bright light shone. So it was impossible to watch. This heavenly light shone for half an hour, and then, when it dissipated, the apostle gave up the ghost.
On the site of the crucifixion of the holy apostle in Patras, the majestic Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called, the largest in Greece, was erected. It contains the cross on which the holy apostle was crucified.
Prayer to the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called
First-called Apostle of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, supreme follower of the Church, all-validated Andrew, we glorify and magnify your apostolic works, we sweetly remember your blessed coming to us, we bless your honorable suffering, which you endured for Christ, we kiss your sacred relics, we honor your holy memory and we believe that the Lord lives, and your soul is alive and dwells with Him forever in Heaven, where you love us with the same love with which you loved us, when through the Holy Spirit you saw our turn to Christ, and not just loved, but and pray to God for us, all our needs are in vain in His Light. This is how we believe and this is how we confess our faith in the temple, also in your name, Saint Andrew, gloriously created, where your holy relics rest; Believers, we ask and pray to the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, that through your prayers, who always listens and accepts, will give us everything we need for the salvation of us sinners; Yes, just like you, according to the voice of the Lord, leave your surroundings, you unswervingly followed him, and let everyone from us seek not his own, but let him think about the creation of his neighbor and about the heavenly calling. Having you as an intercessor and prayer book for us, we trust that my prayer can accomplish much before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
APOSTLE ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED
Apostle Andrew the First-Called
Andrew was born on August 2, 8 BC in Bethsaida, a city on the shores of Lake Gennesaret.
His father, whose name was Jonah, was a fisherman, his mother took care of the house and children. In addition to Andrey, the family had three older brothers and a younger sister. His brother Simon (later) was the sixth child in the family.
Andrei grew up quiet, calm, and was always very diligent; if he was entrusted with a task, there was no need to check, he would do everything exactly.
Having matured, the brothers moved to Capernaum, where they acquired their own home and continued to fish.
Even in his youth, Andrei decided to devote himself to serving God. Hearing that on the Jordan River he was preaching about the coming of the Messiah and calling for repentance, Andrei left everything and went to him. Soon the young man became John the Baptist's closest disciple. At the time of his call to discipleship, he was 31 years old.
John the Baptist sent two disciples to Jesus with the words: “ You will be his guardian angels, protect him and protect him" The second disciple whom John the Baptist sent to Jesus was named John of Zebedee. He was eight years older than Jesus.
Andrew followed Christ.
Andrew brought his brother Simon (Peter) to Jesus, saying before this: “ We have found the Messiah. Go with us».
Matthew tells how the Savior met Andrew and his brother Simon Peter on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, where the brothers were fishing by throwing nets into the water. Jesus addressed them with the words: “ Follow me and I will make you fishers of men" And they followed him, leaving their networks.
The Gospel of John says that during the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, Andrew pointed to a boy who had “five barley loaves and two fish” (John 6:8-9). He showed the Savior to the pagans who came to Jerusalem to worship the true God (John 12:20-22). According to the testimony of the Evangelist Mark, Saint Andrew was one of the four disciples of Jesus, to whom He revealed the destinies of the world on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:3).
Saint Andrew is called the First-Called because he was called the first of the apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ. Before last day The Savior's earthly path was followed by his First-Called Apostle.
After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Andrei, like everyone else, driven by persecutors, left Judea for Greece.
The life of the apostle tells of several cases of his resurrection of the dead:
- in the city of Amaseev, the Apostle Andrew resurrected a boy named Egyptius, who died of a fever, at the request of the boy’s father Demetrius.
- in Nicomedia, during a funeral procession, the apostle resurrected a boy who had died because his body was torn to pieces by dogs.
- in Thessalonica, at the request of one of the residents of the city, the apostle publicly resurrected a boy who had died of strangulation.
- Proconsul Virin, enraged by the sermons of the Apostle Andrew, sent soldiers to forcefully bring the Apostle to him. One of the soldiers fell dead as soon as he drew his sword, after which the apostle resurrected him through prayer. Proconsul Virinus ordered the apostle to be tortured in the stadium, releasing a boar, a bull and a leopard into the arena in turn. But the animals did not touch the apostle, while the leopard attacked the proconsul’s son and strangled him. After a long prayer, the apostle raised his son Virin.
- also in Thessalonica the apostle resurrected little boy, who died from a snake bite.
- in the city of Patras, the Apostle Andrew preached in the house of the proconsul Lisbius. The former concubine of the proconsul Trophimus followed the teachings of the apostle and left her husband. Trophima's husband came to the proconsul's wife Calista and slandered his wife, accusing her of resuming relations with the proconsul. By order of Calista, Trofima was forcibly placed in a brothel for abuse, but Trofima prayed so hard that all the men who tried to touch her died, after which she resurrected one of them. The proconsul's wife went to the bathhouse with her lover, where they both died. At the request of the nurse Calista, the Apostle Andrew resurrected the deceased, after which Lisbius and his wife believed in Christ.
- in the city of Patras, during the sermon of the Apostle Andrew, a drowned man was thrown ashore by a wave, whom the Apostle resurrected with his prayer. It was Philopatra, the son of Sostratus, a resident of Macedonia, who was sailing on a ship to Patras in order to become familiar with the new teaching, but he was carried away by a wave from the ship during a storm. Philopatra asked the apostle to resurrect his friends and servants, who had also been carried away from the ship into the sea. When the Apostle Andrew prayed, another 39 people were carried ashore by the wave, and the crowd surrounding the Apostle turned to him with a request for their resurrection. The apostle asked to put the bodies in one place and with his prayer resurrected all the dead.
- in the city of Sinop, the Apostle Andrew, at the request of a woman, resurrected her husband, who was found murdered in a pit.
- in the city of Atskuri (modern Georgia), through the prayer of the apostle, a deceased person was resurrected, and this miracle prompted the residents of the city to accept Holy Baptism.
Until the age of 38 he preached and baptized in Persia and Asia Minor
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In January 39, he returned to Judea, to his hometown of Bethsaida. In the summer of the same year, the eldest son drowned. With the death of the child, Andrei closed himself off even more. In December, he decided to leave as far as possible from the country that had brought him so much suffering.
His field of service was the Black Sea coast, which in those days was called the “Euxinian Pontus” (“Hospitable Sea”). Almost everywhere where the apostle found himself, the authorities met him with cruel persecution, and he endured many sorrows and sufferings. But, reinforced by the strength of his faith, Saint Andrew “with delight” endured all disasters in the name of Christ. The First-Called Apostle had to meet especially many torments in the city of Sinope, where the pagans subjected him to cruel torture. But, as legend says, “by the grace of his Teacher and Savior Saint Andrew again turned out to be healthy and unharmed from his wounds.”
Continuing his preaching path, the apostle passed through the cities of Neokesarea and Samosata, through the country of Alana, through the lands of the Abasques and Zigs. According to legend, the pagan Zigs at first did not accept the gospel sermon of Saint Andrew and even wanted to kill the apostle, but, marveling at his meekness and asceticism, they abandoned their intention. Having passed through the Bosporan kingdom, he undertook a sea voyage to the Thracian city of Byzantium. The Apostle was the first to preach the teachings of the Savior there in the future center of Eastern Christianity, where Saint Andrew founded the Church. He ordained the Byzantine bishop Stachys, one of the 70 apostles of Christ whom Paul mentions in Romans (16:9). The saint also appointed elders of the church “so that they would teach the people and perform the sacraments.”
And he goes to the lands of the future Ancient Rus'.
Andrew the First-Called visited the sites of future cities: Odessa, Kyiv, Kharkov, Moscow, Novgorod
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Since 1116, the son of Vsevolod Yaroslavich, Vladimir Monomakh, ordered the abbot of the Vydubitsky monastery Sylvester to include in the “Tale of Bygone Years” the Russian version of the legend about the apostolic mission of St. Andrew the First-Called. So, from that time on, stories about the apostle’s visit to the Russian land are certainly included in all subsequent chronicle lists.
One and a half kilometers from the village of Generalskoye near Alushta, in the basin of the Ulu-Uzen (Megapotam) river, at an altitude of 500 m above sea level in the 1st century AD. St. preached the teachings of Christ. Apostle Andrew the First-Created, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, so called because he came to the Lord before the other apostles. Through his prayers, a holy spring began to flow near his monastery, which has survived to this day. Here many residents of Taurica converted to Christianity.
After the departure of Andrew the First-Called to the Scythian lands, a monastery was founded on the site of his monastery. And over the holy spring a temple was built, named in honor of St. Andrew the First-Called - Ai-Andriy.
Apostle Andrew is revered as the founder and heavenly patron Orthodox Church of Constantinople .
Sandal and nail of St. Andrew in Trier Cathedral
According to legend, in the 8th century, the relics of the Apostle Andrew were transported to Scotland by the monk Regulus and placed in the Cathedral of St. Andrews, a city that received its name in honor of the Apostle and became the ecclesiastical capital of the Kingdom of Scotland. According to another version, they (possibly partially) were transported in the 13th century to Italy, to the city of Amalfi.
The sandal and nail of the Apostle Andrew are kept in the Trier Cathedral (Germany).
In the Orthodox Church, the memory of the Apostle (according to the Julian calendar):
- 30 June(Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles);
- November 30th;
V Catholic Church and Orthodox churches adhering to Gregorian calendar: June 30 and November 30.
Paintings depicting St. Andrew were created by many great painters, including Murillo, El Greco, and Zurbaran.
Apostle Andrew the First-Called - THE FOUNDER OF "HEAVENLY RUSSIA"
Daniil Andreev wrote in the book that the High man-spirit Apostle Andrew the First-Called gave his strength to the demiurge of Russia Yarosvet (see Heavenly Russia). A still vague outline of Heavenly Russia began to emerge. Church tradition considers Apostle Andrew to be the pioneer of enlightenment of our distant ancestors. This is true in the sense that the Apostle Andrew at the end of the 1st century of the Christian era accepted the crown of martyrdom in the lands of Scythia. But hidden in this legend, apparently, is an echo of the intuitive knowledge that the founder of Heavenly Russia was precisely this man-spirit, who achieved enormous strength and heights in the millennium between his death and his participation in the peacemaking act of Yarosvet.
In Rus', a special cult of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called became widespread in the 1080s. The first church in honor of the Apostle Andrew was built in Kyiv in 1086 through the efforts of Grand Duke Vsevolod Yaroslavich, son of Yaroslav the Wise.
Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle
In 1698, Russian Tsar Peter I established the first (and then remained the highest) award of Russia - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. In 1998, this order was revived in Russia.
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called has a sign and a star.
The badge of the order is an oblique cross made of silver with gilding, covered with blue enamel, with the image of the crucified figure of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called on it. At the ends of the cross there are golden letters “S”, “A”, “P”, “R” (Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae - Saint Andrew the Patron of Russia). The cross is superimposed on a relief gilded figure of a double-headed eagle, crowned with three crowns, connected by a blue-enameled ribbon, and supporting the lower ends of the cross with its paws. On the reverse side of the sign, on the chest of the eagle, there is a ribbon covered with white enamel. On the ribbon, in straight letters covered with black enamel, is written the motto of the order: “FOR FAITH AND LOYALTY”; under the ribbon is the number of the badge. The badge is attached to the order ribbon using an eyelet on the reverse side of the middle crown. Sign height - 86 mm, width - 60 mm.
The order's ribbon is silk, moire, blue color, width 100 mm.
The star of the order is silver, eight-pointed. In the center of the star, in a round medallion covered with red enamel, there is a gilded relief image of a double-headed eagle crowned with three crowns; on the eagle's chest is an image of a St. Andrew's (oblique) cross covered in blue enamel. Around the medallion there is a border covered with blue enamel with gilded edging. On the border, in straight gilded letters, is the motto of the order: “FOR FAITH AND LOYALTY.” At the bottom of the border there is an image of two crossed laurel branches, covered with green enamel and tied with a gilded ribbon.
The distance between the ends of the opposite rays of the star is 82 mm. On the reverse side of the star, in the lower part, is the number of the star of the order. The star is attached to clothing with a pin.
The order chain consists of 17 alternating links of three types: a gilded image of the State Emblem Russian Federation in the form of a double-headed eagle with a round shield on its chest with a horseman made in colored enamels, striking a dragon with a spear; crowned with a crown and framed with military fittings, a cartouche covered with blue enamel, in the center of which is placed the gilded applied monogram of Peter I; gold-plated rosette in the form of a radiance with a medallion covered with red enamel. A blue St. Andrew's (oblique) cross passes through the middle of the rosette, between the ends of which the letters “S”, “A”, “P”, “R” are placed. The chain links are connected by rings. The chain is made of silver with gilding using hot enamels.
For those awarded for distinction in military operations, two crossed gilded swords are added to the badge and star of the order. On the badge of the order they are located under the middle crown above the double-headed eagle. The length of each sword is 47 mm, width is 3 mm. On the star of the order they are located on the diagonal rays of the star, under its central medallion. The length of each sword is 54 mm, width is 3 mm.
The ribbon of the order on uniform is worn on a bar 12 mm high, the width of the ribbon is 45 mm. For those awarded for distinction in military operations, the ribbon additionally contains two miniature crossed gilded swords.
On the ribbon of the order in the form of a rosette is attached a miniature image of the insignia of the order made of golden-colored metal with enamel. The diameter of the socket is 16 mm.
For those awarded for distinction in military operations, on a ribbon in the form of a rosette there are additionally two miniature intersecting gilded swords, which do not extend beyond the rosette in size.
Status of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle
1. The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is awarded to prominent government and public figures, outstanding representatives of science, culture, art and various sectors of the economy for exceptional services that contribute to the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia.
2. The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called may be awarded to heads (leaders) of foreign states for outstanding services to the Russian Federation.
3. The badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle is worn on the order chain or on the shoulder ribbon. When wearing the badge of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle on the shoulder ribbon, it passes over the right shoulder.
4. Wearing the badge of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called on the order chain is carried out, as a rule, on especially solemn occasions or if the recipient has the Order of St. George, 1st degree.
5. The star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle is worn on the left side of the chest and is located below the orders worn on blocks.
6. Those awarded for distinction in military operations are awarded the badge and star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle with swords.
7. When wearing the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle on the bar, it is located above other order ribbons.
8. When wearing the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called in the form of a rosette, it is located on the left side of the chest above other order ribbons in the form of rosettes.
9. After the recipient of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called is awarded, the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation ensures the production of a portrait of the recipient of the order.
A portrait of the recipient of the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is exhibited at the State Central Museum modern history Russia.
Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called
This cross gave the name to the flag.
St. Andrew's flag
St. Andrew's flag - the stern flag of ships Navy Russian Empire from 1720 to 1918, since 1992 - the naval flag of the Russian Federation and, since 2000, the banner of the Navy of the Russian Federation.
St. Andrew's flag is a white cloth with two diagonal stripes of blue color, forming an inclined cross called St. Andrew's; the ratio of the width of the flag to its length is one to one and a half; The width of the blue stripe is 1/10 the length of the flag.
Apostle Andrew - patron saint Ukraine, Russia, Scotland, Romania, Greece, Sicily, Amalfi; as well as sailors and fishermen .
Iconostasis in Vladimir. Andrew the First-Called. 1408
Troparion to the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, tone 4
As the first-called and supremely existing brother of the Apostles, Andrei, the Lord of all, pray to grant greater peace to the universe and great mercy to our souls.
Kontakion to Apostle Andrew the First-Called, tone 2
Let us praise the courage of the same-named eulogist and the Church's supreme successor, Peter's kinsman, just as in ancient times we have cried out to us: come, you who have found the Desired.
Prayer
First-Called Apostle of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, Church follower, all-praised Andrew! We glorify and magnify your apostolic works, we sweetly remember your blessed coming to us, we bless your honorable suffering, which you endured for Christ, we kiss your sacred relics, we honor your holy memory and believe that the Lord lives, and your soul lives and is with Him. forever remain in heaven, where you love us with the same love with which you loved us, when by the Holy Spirit you saw our conversion to Christ, and not only loved, but also prayed to God for us, in vain in His light all our needs. Thus we believe and thus we confess this faith in the temple, which in thy name, Saint Andrew, was most gloriously created, where thy holy relics rest: believing, we ask and pray to the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, that through thy prayers he may ever hear and he accepts and will give us everything we need for the salvation of us sinners: yes, as you are, according to the voice of the Lord, leave your hesitation, you have steadfastly followed Him, and let everyone from us seek not his own, but for the creation of his neighbor and for the heavenly calling, yes thinks. Having you as an intercessor and prayer book for us, we hope that your prayer can accomplish much before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit and forever and ever. Amen.
Copyright © 2015 Unconditional love
Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called The first of the apostles followed Christ, and then brought his own brother to him (). From his youth, the future apostle, who was from Bethsaida, turned to God with all his soul. He did not marry and was engaged in fishing with his brother. When the voice of the holy prophet thundered over Israel, Saint Andrew became his closest disciple. Saint John the Baptist himself sent two of his disciples, the future apostles of Andrew the First-Called, to Christ, pointing out that He is the Lamb of God. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, Saint Andrew went to preach the Word of God to the eastern countries. He passed through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, reached the Danube, passed the Black Sea coast, the Crimea, the Black Sea region and along the Dnieper rose to the place where the city of Kyiv now stands. Here he stopped at the Kyiv Mountains for the night. Rising in the morning, he said to the disciples who were with him: “Do you see these mountains? On these mountains the grace of God will shine, there will be a great city, and God will build many churches.” The apostle climbed the mountains, blessed them and planted a cross. After praying, he climbed even higher along the Dnieper and reached the Slavic settlements where Novgorod was founded. From here the apostle passed through the lands of the Varangians to Rome to preach, and again returned to Thrace, where in a small village of Byzantium, the future mighty Constantinople, he founded the Christian Church. The name of the Holy Apostle Andrew connects the mother, the Church of Constantinople, with her daughter, the Russian Church. On his way, the First-Called Apostle endured much sorrow and torment from the pagans: he was expelled from cities and beaten. In Sinope he was stoned, but, remaining unharmed, the faithful disciple of Christ tirelessly preached to people about the Savior. Through the prayers of the apostle, the Lord performed miracles. Through the labors of the Holy Apostle Andrew arose Christian Churches, to whom he appointed bishops and priesthood. The last city where the First-Called Apostle came and where he was destined to die a martyr’s death was the city of Patras.
The Lord showed many miracles through His disciple in the city of Patras. The sick were healed, the blind received their sight. Through the prayer of the apostle, the seriously ill Sosius, a noble citizen, recovered; Maximilla, the wife of the governor of Patras, and his brother Stratocles were healed by the laying on of apostolic hands. The miracles performed by the apostle and his fiery word enlightened almost all the citizens of the city of Patras with the true faith. There were few pagans left in Patras, among them was the ruler of the city, Aegeates. The Apostle Andrew addressed him more than once with the words of the Good News. But even the miracles of the apostle did not enlighten Aegeates. The holy apostle with love and humility appealed to his soul, trying to reveal to him the Christian mystery eternal life, the miraculous power of the Holy Cross of the Lord. The angry Aegeates ordered the apostle to be crucified. The pagan thought to discredit the preaching of Saint Andrew if he were to put him to death on the cross, which the apostle glorified. Saint Andrew the First-Called joyfully accepted the decision of the ruler and, with prayer to the Lord, he himself ascended to the place of execution. To prolong the torment of the apostle, Egeat ordered not to nail the saint’s hands and feet, but to tie them to the cross. For two days the apostle taught from the cross to the townspeople gathered around. The people who listened to him felt compassion for him with all their souls and demanded that the holy apostle be taken down from the cross. Frightened by popular outrage, Egeat ordered the execution to be stopped. But the holy apostle began to pray that the Lord would honor him with death on the cross. No matter how the soldiers tried to remove the Apostle Andrew, their hands did not obey them. The crucified apostle, having given praise to God, said: “Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit.” Then the bright radiance of Divine light illuminated the cross and the martyr crucified on it. When the radiance disappeared, the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called had already given up his holy soul to the Lord († 62). Maximilla, the ruler's wife, took the body of the Apostle from the cross and buried him with honor.
Several centuries later, under Emperor Constantine the Great, the relics of Saint Apostle Andrew were solemnly transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles next to the relics of the disciple of the Apostle Paul -.
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Rus. XVII.Stroganov icon-painting facial original. November 30 (fragment). Rus. End of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century. (published in Moscow in 1869). In 1868 it belonged to Count Sergei Grigorievich Stroganov. |
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Rome. 705-707.Ap. Andrey. Fresco. Santa Maria Antiqua. Rome. 705 - 707 years. |
Sicily. 1148.Ap. Andrey. Mosaic in the apse. Cathedral in Cefalu. 1148. |
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Athos. XV.Ap. Andrey. Miniature. Athos (Iversky monastery). End of the 15th century Since 1913 in the Russian Public (now National) Library in St. Petersburg. |
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How did Andrew the First-Called become the first of the apostles? You will learn about the life, prayers, stories and icons associated with the saint if you read our article!
Apostle Andrew the First-Called: life, icon, prayer
At the very beginning of His ministry, Christ passed by two fishermen who were casting nets into the Lake of Galilee. He told them the most simple words: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They did just that, abandoning their entire previous life overnight. These were Simon (Peter) and Andrey. Why is Andrew called the First-Called?
The brothers were from the village of Bethsaida. The Evangelist John narrates that even before, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist and heard him call Jesus “the Lamb of God.” After all, this was the most important thing in His earthly ministry: not preaching, not miracles, but the sacrifice that He had to make on the cross, becoming the Lamb for the salvation of all mankind. Andrew believed in this immediately, and therefore we call him today the First Called - he was the first of the apostles to be called. It was he who pointed out to Christ a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, which were then miraculously multiplied to feed the crowd. He, together with Philip, led some Greeks to Christ (we do not know of another such case), but in general Scripture tells little about Andrew. Basically, his life is known to us from his Acts and Life.
When the apostles went to preach, they divided among themselves by lot the countries in which they were to proclaim the Good News. Andrei got the coast of Pontus Euxine, that is, the Black Sea. The southern shores (including the Crimean southern coast) were part of the then “civilized world,” that is, the Roman Empire, and in the northern Black Sea region lived barbarians who were called Scythians. How far to the north the Apostle Andrew went in his wanderings, we do not know for sure - a relatively later legend has been preserved that he climbed up the Dnieper and consecrated the place on which the city of Kyiv was later built, and even how he got to Novgorod land and was surprised by the custom of the local residents to take a steam bath in the baths. Apparently, this is still fiction: early sources say nothing about this journey to the north, it left no traces, and it’s hard to imagine such a trip in the 1st century AD. e. pretty hard. But we can still say that the Apostle Andrew was the first who began to spread Christianity “in our direction.” It is likely that he visited Chersonesus - the future Sevastopol.
Another story is also reliable - that the Apostle Andrew visited Byzantium, the city on the site of which Constantinople was later built, founded a Christian community there and ordained Bishop Stachys, an apostle of the seventy. Life tells about many miraculous healings and even resurrections performed through the prayers of the apostle in different cities, and about the cruel persecution to which he was subjected.
After his trip to the Black Sea region, the apostle went to the capital of the empire - Rome, where his brother Peter was. Emperor Nero then ruled in Rome, and times of persecution were coming for Christians, in which both brothers were destined to perish.
From the capital, Andrei decided to return to his previous places. On the way, he stopped in the city of Patras on the Greek Peloponnese peninsula, where he witnessed the persecution of Christians and spoke in their defense before the Roman governor named Aegeates. “You are the destroyer of the temples of the gods, Andrei, trying to draw the people into an insane sect, which the rulers of the empire decided to destroy,” the Roman answered him. The most unacceptable thing in Christian teaching was for him the sermon about the crucifixion of the Savior, because this painful and shameful execution was reserved for the most inveterate criminals from the lower strata of society. How can you worship the Crucified One?!
In response to this, the apostle told Egeates in detail about the history of the creation of the world and the Fall, about the earthly life of the Savior and the meaning of death on the cross, and called on him to share the faith of Christians in order to “find own soul" He laughed: “Do you want to convince me that I am dead?” From his point of view, only a madman could believe in all this, and in order to challenge the apostle’s faith, he began to threaten that he would put him to death on the cross.
The price of preaching was indeed high, but the apostle was ready to pay it. Andrei was thrown into prison awaiting imminent execution, and crowds of people gathered around it, ready to riot to free the innocent sufferer. He preached to them, urging them not to hinder what was about to happen, because temporary suffering would lead him to eternal glory. And, in the end, he himself once agreed to follow the Lamb...
For the execution of the Apostle Andrew, an oblique cross in the shape of the letter X was chosen (which is why such a cross is now called St. Andrew’s), and so that his torment would be longer, Egeat ordered not to nail him, but to tie his hands and feet. “O cross, consecrated by my Lord and Master, I salute you, image of horror, you, after He died on you, became a sign of joy and love!” - with these words the apostle ascended to this cross. He hung on it for two days before his death, for two days he talked with the people standing around...
The memory of the Apostle Andrew is celebrated on November 30 according to the old style, and on December 13 according to the new style. The long-standing legend about the apostle's preaching in the lands of future Rus' gave rise to a special attitude towards him on the part of the rulers of the Russian Empire: the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called became the highest order of the state, and the flag with the St. Andrew's Cross still overshadows the Russian navy.
Apostle Andrew the First-Called: icons
Prayers to St. Andrew the First-Called
Troparion
to the apostle Andrew the First-Called:
As the first-called apostles/ and the supreme brother,/ the Lord of all, Andrew, pray/ to grant peace to the universe// and great mercy to our souls.
Kontakion
to Apostle Andrew the First-Called:
Let us praise the courage of the same-named eulogist/ and the Church’s supreme successor,/ Peter’s relative,/ before now, as in ancient times/ and now we have cried: come, thou who have found the Desired.
Andrey DESNITSKY
The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was from the city of Bethsaida, which was located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. His father's name was Jonah, and he was a fisherman. This is how he fed his family. The grown-up sons Simon and Andrey joined their father and also became fishermen, continuing the established dynasty of the family, which lived in a seaside town. However, a little later they moved and began to live in the city of Capernaum, very well known to all of us from the Gospel. This city was located on the shores of the Sea of Gennesaret, and accordingly, the main industry in it was also fishing. Andrei did this here too with his father and brother Simon.
Speaking of Galileo. This is the northern part of the Holy Land, very fertile, picturesque, rich in beautiful oases. And this part of the country was inhabited by a very large Greek community in those days, who, however, were kind, conflict-free and got along well with the Jews. And the Jews there, in turn, respected the Greeks for their accommodating disposition and even learned their language so that communication with the Greeks would be pleasant for the latter. Besides, greek names penetrated the Jewish environment. A striking example is the name Andrei, given to a son in a Jewish family. The name Andrei means “courageous” in Greek.
Unlike his brother who got married, Andrei decided not to marry and keep himself virgin by seeking God. Therefore, he became a disciple of the holy prophet John the Baptist, who announced the imminent arrival of the Savior.
And when John the Baptist pointed to Jesus Christ in the Jordan, calling Him the Lamb of God, Andrei immediately understood: he would follow the Messiah and become His disciple. Which is what he did. And he became not just a disciple, but the very first disciple of Christ. And after him, Simon came to Christ, achieving an unusually strong and fiery faith and becoming the supreme apostle Peter. But the call to leave everything and follow Him had not yet come from the lips of Jesus. Although even then, at the very first meeting with Simon, Jesus said that they would begin to call him Peter. This is what the Gospel of John tells us.
But the Gospels of Matthew and Mark describe their meeting differently. They say that the Savior met Andrew and Simon on the shore of the Sea of Gennesaret, when they, sitting in a boat with their father, were repairing fishing nets. Jesus, passing by, addressed them, saying: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And Andrew and Simon, leaving both the net and their father, stood up and followed Christ.
There are interpreters who claim that Jesus called all three to follow Him, but Jonah, the father of Peter and Andrew, refused. We do not have documentary evidence of this, and therefore we will leave this assumption without discussion or comment.
The call to the brothers came only after several public sermons and healings performed by Jesus, after the healing of Peter's mother-in-law and the miracle performed for the fishermen. Thanks to all this, Peter began to understand exactly who Jesus was, and was able to respond to His call in such a way that he left for others the richest catch that had ever been in his life, both the nets and the boat... We read about this from the Evangelist Luke. And these are the circumstances under which the very call of Jesus sounded:
“One day, when the people were crowding towards Him to hear the word of God, and He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, He saw two boats standing on the lake; and the fishermen, leaving them, washed their nets. Entering one boat, which was Simon's, He asked him to sail a little from the shore and, sitting down, taught the people from the boat.When he had stopped teaching, he said to Simon, “Sail out into the deep and let down your nets to catch.” Simon answered Him: Master!We toiled all night and caught nothing, but at Your word I will let down the net. Having done this, they caught a great many fish, and even their net was broken. And they gave a sign to the comrades who were on the other boat to come help them; and they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.Seeing this, Simon Peter fell at the knees of Jesus and said: “Depart from me, Lord! Because I am a sinful man." For horror seized him and all those who were with him from this fishing of fish they caught; also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's companions.And Jesus said to Simon: “Do not be afraid; From now on you will catch people.” And having pulled both boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him.”
Judging by the way events unfolded, Jesus gave Andrew and Simon enough time and evidence of Himself before He called them not only to believe that He was the Savior of the world, but to follow Him, leaving everything.
So, Andrei became a faithful and devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. And it is mentioned several times in the Bible. For example, during the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, it was the Apostle Andrew who pointed to the boy who had five loaves of bread and two fish. And it was also the Apostle Andrew who pointed out Jesus to the pagans when they came to Jerusalem and sought to worship the true God. Andrei was among those to whom the Savior revealed the fate of the world, spoke about the signs of the Second Coming and predicted the future of Jerusalem.
Apostle Andrew, together with the other apostles, witnessed the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. And as we know from Holy Scripture, in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, he, as well as the other apostles and Holy Mother of God, the Holy Spirit descended. It happened exactly as the Lord predicted.
The holy apostles dispersed to different cities and even countries to teach people and convert them to the Christian faith, baptizing in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Apostle Andrew inherited Scythia.
The Black Sea coast, the Danube, and Hellas heard the preaching of this devoted disciple of Christ. They heard, listened and were baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
But not everything was smooth on the path of the Apostle Andrew. He was driven out of the cities, beaten, and mocked. But in contrast to this, there were more and more followers of Christianity and churches arose, in which Andrew the First-Called was ordained to the priesthood and episcopate.
Further, the apostle’s path lay in Chersonesus. There he remained for a long time and preached widely and fervently. There is even a legend that on one of the coastal stones there was a recess left from the apostle’s foot. And when sea water got into it, it became healing.
The ruins of the temples that the Apostle Andrew founded have survived to this day. Some even had his name carved on the thrones.
After Chersonesos, the path of the Apostle Andrew lay to the coast of the Dnieper. And with his next sermon, a place was chosen that is now the territory of Kyiv. Having prayed all night, the next morning Apostle Andrew hoisted a cross and told his disciples that he would soon be here Big city, and the Lord will plant many churches here. And so it soon happened.
“Andrew the First-Called united the Constantinople and Russian Orthodox Churches firmly and forever”
After this, Novgorod, and then Byzantium and Thrace heard his sermon. Here, on the territory of the future Constantinople, he founded a church and ordained one of the apostles of Christ, namely Stachy, as a bishop. Thus, Andrew the First-Called united the Constantinople and Russian Orthodox Churches firmly and forever.
Every year all 12 apostles gathered in Jerusalem for Easter to celebrate it with the Most Holy Theotokos.
After one of the Easter meetings, Apostle Andrew went to Georgia, more precisely to Abkhazia, and preached where the city of Sukhumi is now located. The sermon was so passionate and sincere that great amount people were not only baptized, but also asked the Apostle Andrew to leave someone there for further preaching. Simon the Canaanite was left there, thanks to whom there were even more believers in Abkhazia. And the path of Andrew the First-Called lay to the Bosphorus.
The Bosphorus was followed by Heraclia and Macedonia. Churches were built there, people were converted and many sick people were healed. And after this, the Apostle Andrew came to Patras. This is Greek territory. There he stayed with a man named Sosius and healed him. News of this quickly spread throughout the city. This also reached the rulers of the city, who were idolaters. They began to teach the people that the Apostle Andrew was a sorcerer. And at the meeting it was decided to kill the apostle. But at night an Angel appeared to the elder of the city and told him that because he had planned evil against the apostle and did not believe in Christ, he would be weakened and not healed until he learned the truth.
And so it happened. Elder Anfipat was speechless... It was a disaster! How can you govern a city and conduct business while being mute?! With gestures, he called his friends and soldiers and begged them to find and bring the Apostle Andrew to him. They brought him.
As soon as Andrew the First-Called touched the elder, speech returned to him, and he, falling to his knees, began to beg the Apostle to have mercy on him, who was lost and alien to the truth, to heal and bring him to reason! The Apostle, having read a prayer over him, completely healed him.
Then the elder himself and his entire family were baptized by the apostle and believed in Christ. This man not only believed, but began to accompany the holy preacher on his long journeys.
Wherever the Apostle Andrew preached, temples were destroyed, idols were crushed, and pagan books were burned. People were spiritually resurrected, emerging from the darkness of pseudo-gods and false teachings.
The last city where the Apostle Andrew came was the Greek Patras. Shortly before this, he had a dream: Jesus appeared to him and said: “Andrew! My chosen one! Take the cross and go to Patras. For you will soon leave this world to receive the crown prepared for you!”
Waking up, the Apostle Andrew, at the command of the Lord, went to Patras. Its ruler at that time was the proconsul Aegeates, who was an inveterate and stubborn pagan. The Apostle Andrew the First-Called more than once tried to convert him to the faith, turning to him with sermons and words of good news. It was all in vain. Angry, Egeat ordered the apostle to be crucified. Yes, not just like that... But to hang him on a cross in some way so that he would experience torment and suffering longer.
The warriors loyal to Aegeat did just that. They did not nail the apostle to the cross, but tied him with ropes. And the cross was not an ordinary one, but in the shape of our letter X. But the apostle, even while on the cross, continued his sermon.
The night passed, the day passed, and the Apostle Andrew did not stop talking. This went on for four days. The faithful disciple of Christ taught people love for their Teacher, the commandments of God, and eternal bliss with the Savior.
People were literally illuminated by the words of his sermons. They gathered at the judgment seat where Aegeates was sitting and began to loudly curse him for condemning such a kind and innocent man to such a terrible martyrdom. The crafty ruler decided not to arouse the anger of the people against himself and said that now he himself would go to the cross and personally free the Apostle Andrew. But as he approached, he was stopped by the First-Called’s speech to him: “Why did you come to me? Why be hypocritical, as if you intend to take me down from the cross and repent? I'm away from you. For your heart is deceitful. And if you think that I'm not free, I'm not. I've been free for a long time. Because the Savior loves me. And I’m going to him!”
Having blessed his brothers and disciples from the cross for the last time, the Apostle Andrew gave up his spirit to the Lord. Everyone who saw him and heard the words of his sermons cried. And the bishop of the city of Patras, having personally removed the body of the Apostle Andrew from the cross, anointed it with aromas. The body of Andrew the First-Called was buried with great honor and sorrow.
And Egeates, still tormented by the remnants of his conscience for the unjust execution of the apostle, fell into despondency and, in a fit of madness, threw himself face down from the cliff into the abyss.
The relics of the apostle remained in Patras from the moment of burial until the year 357, when, under Emperor Constantine the Great, the relics (with the exception of the head) were transferred by the Great Martyr Artemius to Constantinople and placed in the foundation of the Church of the Holy Apostles next to the relics of the holy Evangelist Luke and the disciple of the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Timothy.
In the 6th century, under Emperor Justinian, the relics of the apostles Andrew the First-Called, Luke and Timothy were solemnly transferred to new temple holy apostles and buried under the throne.
And when the crusaders attacked Constantinople in the 13th century, Cardinal Peter of Capua personally transported all the relics to Italy, where they were placed in cathedral Saint Andrew the First-Called in the city of Amalfi. They are still there now. Moreover, the relics are under the throne, and a part of the head of St. Andrew the Apostle is kept in a separate reliquary.
December 13 Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. The name Andrey has long been popular among the Russian people. Back in 1030, the youngest son of Prince Yaroslav the Wise received the name Andrei at baptism, and 56 years later he founded the St. Andrew's Monastery in Kyiv. At the same time, the name of Andrew the First-Called was included in all Russian calendars, and the memory and glorification of the apostle began throughout the Russian land.
Emperor Peter the Great established the first and highest order in honor of the Apostle Andrew, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, which was given to dignitaries of the state as an outstanding award.
And from these same times of Peter the Great, the Russian fleet chose and established as its banner the St. Andrew’s flag - a white flag with a blue cross of the Apostle Andrew in the shape of the letter X.
From the early icons, the image of St. Andrew the First-Called was established: tousled gray hair, a short thick beard, a tunic with claves and a himation.
A clav is a sewn-on decoration in the form of a vertical stripe running from the shoulder to the bottom edge of the garment. Served as a badge of honor for noble birth among Roman citizens.
A himation or cloak is a long and wide piece of fabric that was worn over a chiton. This cloak also served as a blanket for the poor during sleep. The fact that it was of significant size can be judged by the fact that the soldiers who crucified Christ and divided His clothes among themselves divided the cloak into four parts: one part for each soldier. Remember the Holy Gospel.
In order to more clearly present to you the personality of the Holy Apostle, I will quote the words - a description of Epiphanius the Monk. He said that the Apostle Andrew was not small in build, tall, long-nosed, with brows and a little hunched over.
Often on icons the Apostle Andrew is depicted with a scroll in his hand and with a cross on a long shaft.
Along with the images of the supreme apostles, the image of St. Andrew the First-Called can often be seen in the church iconostasis. He is placed, as a rule, opposite the Apostle John the Theologian.
This is how he was, the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. A huge part of his life is selfless and devoted service to Christ, the dissemination of His teachings and the fulfillment of His covenant.
If you are in the temple, look for the icon with his face and go up to it. Bow your head and ask him, the Holy Apostle, who is now in the Mountains, very close to the Savior, to pray for us, sinners, lost and unworthy... We really need prayer and intercession!
Holy Apostle Andrew, pray to God for us!
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