Apostle Andreas Icon – Arched, Engraved Silver, Gold & Wood

Description

Apostle Andreas, also known as Andrew the Apostle, Saint Andrew, or the First-Called Apostle, was an apostle of Jesus and the brother of Apostle Paul. Apostle Andreas was born in Galilee, where he worked as a fisherman prior to becoming a disciple of Saint John the Baptist. Following the baptism of Christ, Andreas and his brother, Paul, left Saint John to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Andreas is referred to as the First-Called Apostle, as tradition indicates he was the first named Apostle, according to the Gospel of John.

Apostle Andreas’ works include appointing Saint Stachys as the first Bishop in Byzantium, evangelizing many to Christianity, and ordaining priests and bishops across Greece. In Atsquri, Georgia, Apostle Andreas preached Christianity and worked to build a small church, where he left behind a wonder-working icon of the Virgin Mary. Little is known about his death, but accounts from the 4th century AD indicate that Apostle Andreas was martyred, dying by crucifixion in Patras, Greece.

According to tradition, Andreas was crucified on an X-shaped cross, which is sometimes depicted in his iconography. Furthermore, Andreas is the Patron Saint of Scotland, which features an X on its flag. Apostle Andreas is also the Patron Saint of Russia. His ties to Russia and the Baltics include a visit to the hills of Kiev, where he prophesied that a great city would be built and that it would play a large role in the expansion of Christianity in the Baltics. The Feast Day for Apostle Andreas is celebrated on November 30.