Apostle Andrew the First-Called and his life. Why is the diagonal cross called St. Andrew's cross? Return and arrival of the Cross in Patras

Having crossed an incredible amount of lands, from Byzantium to Scythia, Thessaly, Hellas, Thrace and Macedonia, Apostle Andrew the First-Called brought the Good News to all these peoples, preaching about the appearance of the Messiah, who came to earth for the salvation of the human race. And Saint Andrew received his nickname, the First-Called, in honor of the fact that he was the first to be accepted as a disciple by Jesus. The Apostle Andrew carried the word of Christ to people so that they could see, and for this he accepted martyrdom, having come to know the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Akathist, or prayer of praise to Andrew the First-Called, is a guide to his exploits in the field of preaching the Good News about the Son of God. The entire journey of the Apostle and his earnest devotion to the Heavenly Teacher are described in the grateful words of Christian sages, who glorified the blessed path of the first of Christ’s disciples with unctuous odes.

Of course, everyone has long known the story of the Galilean fishermen Andrew and Simon. The brothers, born in Bethsaida, went in search of a better life to Capernaum, where they began to continue the work with which they were accustomed to feed themselves. This is how both brothers would have lived their lives, being unknown fishermen, but they met Christ.

From his youth, Andrei chose an immaculate life and, having abandoned marriage, wanted to devote himself to serving the Almighty. Having heard from people that a certain John, nicknamed the Forerunner, says good news about the coming of the Messiah, the future Apostle went to him. There on the Jordan, where the Baptist preached, Andrei was lucky enough to find the beginning of his great journey - to become his disciple.

• Kontakion 2 commemorates the meeting of Andrew and the Baptist, which became the turning point that gave people a faithful disciple and Apostle to our Lord Jesus.

Andrei and Simon met the one who gave them the meaning of existence. “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men,” Christ addressed the fishermen on the shore. What could they do, no matter how they followed His call, they did not dare to disobey the Son of God. Since then, the lives of brothers Andrew and Simon were dedicated to Jesus, they followed in his footsteps, heeding every word of wisdom. Simon subsequently took the name Peter, which in Aramaic meant stronghold or stone - this testified to the strength of his faith in the teachings of Jesus. Andrei was destined to convert the northern lands to the Holy Faith of Christ.

After fifty days had passed from the Ascension of the Son of God, the burning tongues of fire of the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles. They received from Heaven the gift of healing the flesh and healing the spirit, the possibility of insight and knowledge of different languages, in order to disperse throughout the earthly borders and bring the Good News to people. Peter stood at the source of Christ's Church on the lands of the Roman Empire, and Andrei's biography says that he walked the road to the north, converting the peoples of Byzantium and Scythia to Christianity.

• Kontakion 3 - it glorifies the event called the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. This became proof for them and for us of a great miracle - the Resurrection of Christ.

The Apostle's Path to the Northern Lands

Apostle Andrew the First-Called is the one who had the lot to go and preach to the lands of Scythia and Thracia. According to the studied heritage of medieval philosophers and the artifacts that were subsequently found, the Holy Apostle reached the lands of modern Abkhazia, Georgia, the Black Sea region and even further. In ancient works, the Bosporus, Chersonesos, and Feodosia are mentioned as those places that are marked by the holiness of visits by Christ's Disciple. In this description of the lands, it is not difficult to guess which peoples the Apostle Andrew reached with the Good News - this is Rus' in a new, modern understanding.

• Kontakion 1 - in it praise is sung to the one who erected the holy cross of the true faith in the lands of Scythia and throughout the northern side of the Kingdom of Judea.

But for some strange reason these facts are kept silent, which is, at least, surprising. Why are the Gospels of only four Apostles widely known, because there is no doubt that all His disciples left their memories of Christ. It is strange that the Gospel of St. Andrew the First-Called ended up in the apocrypha and was ranked among the dubious teachings, due to the dogmas of the Western churches. Surely an inconvenient topic is hidden behind this wave of devaluation of the activities of the one who can lay claim to the founding of the Holy Apostolic Church in the lands of Rus'. After all, then Rome’s primacy in this matter will be lost.

• Kontakion 8 is a hymn of gratitude to the one who blessed with the mercy of God and filled Orthodox Rus' with the Holy Spirit.

Quite rightly, Apostle Andrew the First-Called is considered the founder and patron of the Holy Orthodox Church of Constantinople and, as its heir, the Russian Church. After his visit to the city, which eventually received the name Constantinople, a Christian community was formed there. A certain Stachy was ordained bishop of the Constantinople community. Contemporaries of that event mentioned many miracles performed by hands - resurrection, healing and other wondrous deeds. The Tale of Bygone Years also mentions the Apostle’s journey from the Black Sea region to Ladoga, and how Jesus’ disciple preached in these lands.

Andrew the First-Called taught them that prayer is important conversation with God blessing. It is worth saying prayers meaningfully, reading their meaning and passing them through your soul. It is extremely necessary to trust the Almighty and be sincere, be able to forgive enemies and respond with good to all evil. The Lord will see your kindness and respond a hundredfold in order to dispel sadness and grant the Kingdom of Heaven.

The exploit and death of Apostle Andrew the First-Called

After the labors of the righteous and a long journey through the Scythian and Black Sea regions, the Apostle sought to meet with brother Peter. At that time, Rome was ruled by Nero, a cruel and irreconcilable emperor towards the early Christians, who saw the danger of his power from believers in Christ. Nero was the initiator of the most terrible persecutions and executions, in which thousands of carriers died true faith. The brothers will suffer the same fate.

On the island of Peloponnese, where Aegeates was the emperor's viceroy, Andrei fell out of favor with him when he stood up for his followers and tried to reason with the ruler. Egeat did not accept the Good News about the creation of the universe and the fall of man, for pagan beliefs were deeply rooted in him. The story of the Messiah, who died on the cross, being crucified, generally made the imperial governor furious. After all, at that time the execution In a similar way was applied exclusively to those whom they wanted to humiliate and disgrace.

Realizing that he was in danger for his insolence, Andrei did not abandon his mission to carry God’s Word, so he found himself in prison. The verdict of execution was almost ready when the Apostle's followers decided to free him by staging a riot outside the prison walls. But the Apostle stopped them, giving a firm refusal - he himself chose his fate and the path of following the Son of God, and therefore accepted his death with joy.

• For execution, the torturers chose a cross in the shape of an X. So that death would not be quick and would cause the greatest suffering, he was tied, rather than nailed.
• The Apostle of Christ suffered for two days, but did not stop bringing the Word of the true God to people. Many received their sight and believed, impressed by his sincerity and steadfastness.
• Maximilla, the wife of the city ruler of Patras, healed by the will of the Holy Spirit and the efforts of the Apostle, showed her sensitivity to the executed man. She took his body down from the cross and buried him in the city, observing respect and honor.

Subsequently, the X-shaped cross was called St. Andrew's. He became a symbol of loyalty to his cause, courage and perseverance. Since then, many states, out of respect for fidelity to the faith of Christ, impressed by the feat of the Apostle and the strength of his spirit, have added the symbol of St. Andrew's Cross to their flag.

Prayer for help works miracles

The Day of Remembrance of the Apostle, when praise is given to him, in the Orthodox Church is set for December 13 (new style). But the prayer to Apostle Andrew the First-Called not only on this date carries with it the incredible power of fulfilling desires; one has only to bow to him in due respect to receive help and intercession. Faith in the Orthodox heart is the key to receiving the graces and gifts of Heaven.

Patron of sailors and fishermen

IN ancient legend It is mentioned that Andrei resurrected drowned people. Pilgrims sailed to Patras, where Andrew preached, to hear his blessed speeches. However, a storm and storm overturned the ship and smashed it against the rocks, and everyone who sailed on it drowned. A wave carried their bodies to the shore, where, by the will of divine guidance, the Apostle ended up.

Andrei prayed over the bodies of the dead and restored life to them. For this act, the Apostle is henceforth considered the patron saint of sailors and fishermen. The flag of the Russian fleet is decorated with the St. Andrew's Cross for a reason. It symbolizes the loyalty, fortitude and courage of the people, just as the Apostle endured all the suffering for the glory of the Lord Jesus.

• When setting off on a voyage, according to custom, they sprinkle the flag with holy water and serve a prayer service so that it will protect all the personnel on the expedition from troubles and misfortunes, from an attack by an insidious enemy and defeat in military work.
• The blessed flag with the cross of St. Andrew the First-Called necessarily flies on the mast of the ship, representing the pride of the Russian fleet. This flag for every sailor is a reminder of the feat of strength of faith and courage that the Apostle, who patronized them in difficult service, did not lose.
• Before going out to sea, fishermen are required to read a prayer to their intercessor and patron in troubles, so that the catch is generous and the waves are merciful to them.
• The icon depicting St. Andrew the First-Called must be kept in the captain's cabin. In case of danger, she is given prayers for help, so that by God’s providence she can calm the waves of the sea and avoid death.

Text of the prayer to St. Andrew the First-Called.

“First-Called Apostle of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, follower of the Church, 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 loved 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. 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: believing, we ask and pray to the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, that through your prayers, who ever listens and accepts, will give us everything we need for the salvation of us sinners: yes, just like you Abiy, according to the voice of the Lord, leave your wilderness, you unswervingly followed Him, and let each one of 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 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".

About marriage and a worthy groom

Young girls and their mothers offer their prayers to the Apostle Andrew that fate be merciful and send a worthy match to the girl. Usually it is customary to pray to Andrew the First-Called for marriage before Happy holiday Resurrection of Christ or Christmas. It is believed that these days Heaven is most favorable to people's desires to get married.

• The prayer is read along with the full akathist to the First-Called Disciple of Christ Andrew.
• Before the face of the Apostle you need to light a lamp or candle - this is a symbol of your sincere faith.
• After reading the kontakion 13 of the akathist, instead of the canonical one, a prayer for good grooms is read.
• Then the final troparion and magnification are read.
• The girl, having crossed herself, should go to bed.
• If a mother reads for her daughter’s happiness, then the prayer service ends with Psalm 90, which is considered a wonderful means for achieving goals and fulfilling cherished desires.

More often such prayers are held at night. From time immemorial there was a sign that at night the bride would dream of her betrothed, God's will sent. Usually, after the prayers of the First-Called Apostle, the girl meets the desired husband, and within a year there will definitely be a wedding. One condition precedes this - devout faith in the Heavenly Patrons.

Prayer for marriage to Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

“Oh, All-Good Lord and His First-Called Apostle Andrew, I know that my great happiness depends on the fact that I love you with all my soul and with all my heart and that I fulfill the will of the Most High in everything. Rule Yourself, O my God, over my soul and fill my heart: I want to please You Alone, for You are the Creator and my God. Save me from pride and self-love: let reason, modesty and chastity adorn me. Idleness is disgusting to You and gives rise to vices, give me the desire to work hard and bless my labors. Since Your law commands people to live in honest marriage, then lead me, Holy Father, to this title sanctified by You, not to please my lust, but to fulfill Your destiny, for You Yourself said: it is not good for man to be alone, and having created He gave him a wife to help him, blessed them to grow, multiply and populate the earth. Hear my humble prayer, Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, sent to You from the depths of a girl’s heart; give me an honest and pious spouse, so that in love and harmony with him we glorify You and the merciful God: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".

Prayers for health and help for the sick

Apostle Andrew, like the other Apostles, was given the power not only to fulfill desires, to bestow graces on faithful Christians, but perform real miracles - resurrect and heal. If you cry out in prayer to Andrey and ask him for recovery loved one, then he will definitely have mercy and give you joy.

You can pray for recovery or successful treatment at any time of the day or night. This a special case is never regulated by canonical church charter. Human health and life are always a priority for the merciful Creator. If necessary, pray and you will find help in trouble.

• Together with the prayer the Apostle is read short version Akathist, starting with Ikos 10, which talks about the apostolic ability to heal and resurrect.
• They also pray for the healing of the possessed and mentally ill, so that the Lord will free their minds from demonic obsession.

Ikos 10 – healing for the sick and possessed.

“Everywhere in the name of the Lord Jesus, you healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, and in Patras you confirmed your dying sermon with miracles, O Apostle of Christ, and you turned the anthipate of the Blade to the knowledge of the truth, when you were struck by an ulcer for the sake of opposition, you were quickly raised from your sickbed; All the people, having seen the power of God in you, crushed their idols, therefore the Lord appeared to you, as Paul sometimes did in Corinth, and commanded you to take up your Cross, thus marking your suffering in Patras, for His sake. In the same way, we, marveling at the great grace in you, reverently cry: Rejoice, great power of Almighty God; Rejoice, treasure of great price and wonders. Rejoice, enlightenment and decoration of ancient Patras; Rejoice, you who have changed the unbelief of the anfipat into faith. Rejoice, for there the Lord again appeared to you, calling you to the feat of the cross; Rejoice, for the crown of righteousness has been prepared for you. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.”

Fishing requires diligence, patience and... humility. If there is no result today, then who is to blame? We must come tomorrow, calmly and confidently move towards our goal. Fishermen casting nets made up the majority of those whom Christ called to follow Him to spread the Good News throughout the world. The Teacher called the Galilean fisherman Andrew first.

Waters of Scripture

Bible story full of water. The very second verse of Genesis reads: “The Spirit of God hovered over the waters.” Later there were flood waters that covered the entire earth. The waters of the sea parted before Moses and swallowed up the Egyptians. The long-awaited rain through the prayers of the prophet Elijah. The geography and symbolism of the New Testament is largely built around water. In the waters of the Jordan, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the form of a dove. Most of the 12 apostles were fishermen. The Lord walked across the waters of a raging lake to His disciples. And Christ’s words about water that can quench thirst forever, which changed the life of a simple Samaritan woman, are called upon to change the life of each of us.

Sea of ​​Kinneref (Num. 34: 11; Deut. 3: 17) or Hinnaroth (Joshua 11: 2), Hinneref (Joshua 12: 3; 13: 27) or Sea of ​​Tiberias (John 21: 1), Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5: 1) - this is Lake Kinneret today. But for us its most familiar name is the Sea of ​​Galilee. It serves as a flowing basin for the Jordan River on its way to the Dead Sea. The ancients believed that the Jordan cut the lake in half and passed through without mixing with its waters. From a boat on the Sea of ​​Galilee, Christ preached to the people gathered on the shore, on it he tamed a sudden storm, walked on its waters (see: Matt. 4: 13-17; 8: 24-26; Mark 4: 37-41; Luke 8:23-25, etc.). The dimensions of the lake are small: only about 20 km long and 13 km wide. Therefore, it was called the sea solely in its own way historical significance.

The Lord chose for Himself very “unexpected”, according to our - human - understanding, disciples - fishermen

During Christ's earthly life, this was the industrial center of Palestine; the shores of the lake were built up with cities, and the waters were filled with numerous ships: Roman warships, gilded galleys from Herod’s palace, boats of Bethsaida fishermen... The lake was famous for its abundance of fish, so many local residents were engaged in fishing. Their already difficult work was further complicated by the climatic features of the area: in the summer, in the lowland where the lake was located (and its coast is one of the lowest areas of land on Earth), there was unbearable, suffocating heat, and in the winter there were fierce storms, threatening the death of fishermen .

"Fishers of Men"

On the shores of the Sea of ​​Galilee and in coastal cities, Jesus Christ spent most Your earthly ministry. The Sea of ​​Galilee is mentioned in all four Gospels.

“And as He passed near the Sea of ​​Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen, and He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Matthew 4: 18-20).

Saint Nicholas of Serbia (Velimirović) reflects on why the Lord called specifically the fishermen: “If Christ had acted humanly, He would have chosen not twelve fishermen as apostles, but twelve kings of the earth. If only He would immediately see the success of His work and reap the fruits of His labors, He could, by His irresistible power, baptize the twelve most powerful kings on earth and make them His followers and apostles. Just imagine how the name of Christ would instantly be published throughout the world!” But the Lord chose for Himself very “unexpected”, according to our human understanding, disciples. Fishermen were among the poorest and uneducated people. Daily hard labour did not bring excess, but gave only what was necessary. All they had were nets and boats, which were constantly in need of repair.

“They are used to not leading and ordering, but working and obeying. They are not proud of anything, their hearts are full of humility before the will of God. But, although they are simple fishermen, their souls thirst for as much truth and righteousness as possible,” wrote St. Nicholas of Serbia.

And who, if not they, understood most of all the words of Christ about a net thrown into the sea: “The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea and capturing fish of every kind, which, when it was full, they pulled ashore and, sitting down, gathered the good things into vessels, but they threw away the bad” (Matthew 13: 47-48).

“How wise it is that He began the construction of His Kingdom not with kings, but with fishermen! It is good and saving for us, living two thousand years after His work on earth, that during His earthly life He did not reap the fruits of His labor! He did not want, like a giant, to immediately transplant into the ground huge tree, but wanted, like a simple farmer, to bury the seed of the tree in the underground darkness and go home. So He did. Not only into the darkness of simple Galilean fishermen, but into the darkness right up to Adam himself, the Lord buried the seed of the Tree of Life and left” (St. Nicholas of Serbia).

The tree grew slowly. Often Christ was faced with misunderstanding not only from “external” people, but also from his closest disciples. Remember their dispute about who will be first in the Kingdom of Heaven (see: Mark 10: 35-45). Or the words of Christ addressed to the apostles: “How is it that you do not understand?” (Mark 8:21) and “Are you really so slow-witted?” (Mark 7:18). But having heard the call of Christ, Andrew and Peter immediately, without hesitation, left their nets and followed Him. The hearts of the two brothers were already so determined in the choice of good that they, like children, innocently and trustingly followed the Teacher, as if all their lives they had only been waiting for this call: “I will make you fishers of men.”

“The Lord knows their hearts: like children, these fishermen believe in God and submit to the laws of God” (St. Nicholas of Serbia).

"Persecuted, but not abandoned"

St. John Chrysostom in his “Eulogy to the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called” said: “The now remembered Andrew, when he found the Lord of all as some treasure of light, exclaimed, turning to his brother Peter: “We have found the Messiah.” Oh, the superiority of brotherly love! O counter-reversal of order! Andrew, after Peter, was born into life and was the first to bring Peter to the Gospel - and how he caught it: “We have found,” he said, “the Messiah.” This was said out of joy; it was the gospel of the found object combined with joy.”

Very little information about the Apostle Andrew can be gleaned from the Gospel: it is known that it was he who pointed out to Christ a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, who were later miraculously multiplied to feed the listeners of the new teaching. He and Philip also brought some Greeks to Christ, and together with three chosen disciples of Christ - Peter, James and John - he took part in the Savior’s conversation on the Mount of Olives about the coming end of the world (see: Mark 13: 3). Andrew the First-Called, among the 12 apostles, was present at the Last Supper and at the appearance of Christ to the disciples after the Resurrection, as well as at the Ascension of the Savior (see: Acts 1: 13). He, along with everyone else, participated in the choice of the twelfth apostle instead of Judas Iscariot and was present at the descent of the Holy Spirit on the feast of Pentecost (see: Acts 2: 1).

According to ancient Christian tradition, after Pentecost the apostles cast lots, in accordance with which they went to preach the Gospel in different countries. Apostle Andrew inherited the vast lands of Bithynia and Propontis, Thrace and Macedonia, extending to the Black Sea and the Danube, Scythia and Thessaly, Hellas and Achaia.

How far to the north did the Apostle Andrew go in his wanderings, bringing the gospel message to the pagans?

The first field of his apostolic ministry was the coast of Pontus Euxine (“Hospitable Sea”), that is, the Black Sea. It is almost impossible to say exactly how far to the north the Apostle Andrew went in his wanderings, bringing the gospel message to the pagans. Origen, who lived in the first half of the 3rd century, clearly stated that Scythia was part of the apostolic inheritance of St. Andrew. All subsequent Byzantine tradition (from " Church history"Eusebius of Caesarea until the Monthly Basil II) also shared this opinion. “Scythia” was the name given to the lands north of the northern coast of the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas, that is, this is the territory modern Crimea, Ukraine, the Black Sea coast of Russia - Kuban, Rostov region, Kalmykia, partly the lands of the Caucasus and Kazakhstan.

There is another, ancient Christian tradition, which differently outlines the territory of the apostolic ministry of Andrew the First-Called. According to the text of the apocryphal “Acts of Andrew,” dating back to the 2nd century and restored on the basis of the “Book of Miracles” by Gregory of Tours, the apostle began preaching the Gospel on the southern shore of the Black Sea, moving through Pontus and Bithynia to the west. According to this tradition, Andrew the First-Called visited Amasia, Sinope, Nicaea and Nicomedia, crossed over to Byzantium (the future Constantinople) and ended up in Thrace, and from there to Macedonia, where he visited the cities of Philippi and Thessalonica. He then went to Achaia, where he visited the cities of Patras, Corinth and Megara.

Almost everywhere, the Apostle Andrew was persecuted by the pagans, endured sorrows and suffering. This fate befell each of the twelve. The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians: “We are oppressed on every side, but not oppressed; we are in desperate circumstances, but we do not despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are cast down, but we do not perish. We always bear in our body the death of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Cor. 4:8-10).

The First-Called Apostle endured all the disasters “with delight,” working for the glory of Christ: “You, apostle, brought the tribes of men, even those who did not know the True God, to the quiet refuge of Christ, and those hearts, like a fragile boat overwhelmed by unbelief, were established on the anchors of the Orthodox faith Thou art” and “with the inspired word, as if in a dream, thou didst catch men unto Christ.”

The apostolic ministry of Andrew the First-Called was accompanied by numerous miracles, healings and resurrections from the dead.

Not one of the 12 apostles is so noticeably present in the history of Russia throughout its entire length as the Apostle Andrei

In the city of Patras on the Peloponnese peninsula, the Apostle Andrew converted the wife of the proconsul Aegeates Maximilla and his brother to Christianity, gathering around him a large Christian community. Here, in the city of Patras, the apostle suffered martyrdom. Seeing the instrument of his execution, the First-Called Apostle, according to his life, exclaimed: “O cross, consecrated by my Lord and Master, I greet you, image of horror! You, after He died on you, became a sign of joy and love!” A cross in the shape of the letter X was chosen for execution, which is now called St. Andrew's.

According to legend, the ruler of Aegeates, in order to prolong the torment of the apostle, ordered not to nail him to the cross, but to tie him by his arms and legs. When the apostle had been on the cross in torment for two days, preaching tirelessly, unrest began among the people listening to him. People demanded to have mercy on the apostle and remove him from the cross. The ruler, fearing unrest, decided to comply with the demands. But the determination of Andrew the First-Called to accept martyrdom was unshakable. Life reports that when the holy apostle died, the cross was illuminated with a bright radiance.

Today, at the site of the crucifixion of the First-Called Apostle, next to the source that gushed after his death, rises the majestic Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called - the largest Orthodox church Greece.

"Russian Apostle"

Earthly path Apostle Andrew ended around the 70s of the 1st century. But the seed of the Tree of Life continued to grow. Nine centuries later, it sprouted on the banks of the Dnieper. “The Word about the manifestation of Baptism in the Russian land of the Holy Apostle Andrew, how he came to Rus',” included in the “Tale of Bygone Years,” tells that the Apostle Andrew climbed up the Dnieper and illuminated the place on which the city of Kyiv was later built, and even (which, however, is questioned even more) reached the Novgorod land.

“And the Dnieper will flow into the Poneta Sea like a zhelol; “The hedgehog of the Russian sea speaks, as Saint Ondrei, brother Petrov, taught.”

Pointing to the place where Kyiv would later be founded, the Apostle Andrew, according to legend, said: “Do you see these mountains? As if the grace of God will shine on these mountains, there will be a great city and God will raise many churches.”

Peter the Great laid an ark with a particle of the relics of the Apostle Andrew at the foundation of the Peter and Paul Fortress

According to the chronicle legend, the apostle climbed these mountains, blessed them and planted a cross. According to legend, in the 13th century a church was built on this site in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. And in 1749-1754, by order of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, a temple was built in this legendary place in the name of the First-Called Apostle himself. The amazingly beautiful St. Andrew's Church invariably attracts all guests of Kyiv. It is located on the right bank of the Dnieper, above the historical part of the city - Podil, on Andreevsky Descent, connecting the upper city with the lower one.

It is impossible to prove or refute the legends about the “walk” of the Apostle Andrew across Russian lands. Many historians, both secular and ecclesiastical, are quite skeptical about them. So, A.V. Kartashev in “Essays on the History of the Russian Church” wrote: “Having no direct evidence to completely reject the tradition of St. Andrew, coming from such a deep antiquity, and interpreting it in a geographical sense so far in accordance with the prevailing opinion in science, we can, without the violence of a scientific conscience, admit that the First-Called Apostle, if he was not in the countries north of the Black Sea, could have been in Georgia and Abkhazia, and maybe in the Crimea...” But we can say one thing with certainty: the image of the First-Called Apostle, whether his feet set foot on the lands of our Fatherland or not, became the foundation on which Orthodox Rus' still stands.

We dare to say that not one of the 12 apostles is so noticeably present in the history of Russia throughout its entire length as the Apostle Andrew.

Already in the 11th century, the First-Called Apostle was deeply revered in Rus'. This is confirmed by the fact that in 1030 younger son Prince Yaroslav the Wise Vsevolod Yaroslavich was baptized with the name Andrey, and in 1086 he founded the Andreevsky (Yanchin) Monastery in Kyiv, which is the first mentioned in chronicle sources convent Rus'.

The apostle was especially revered in the Novgorod land. At the end of the 11th century, the first temple in the name of St. Andrew the First-Called was built in Novgorod. The preface to the life of the Novgorod saint, St. Michael of Klopsky, compiled with the blessing of Archbishop Macarius in 1537, speaks of the rod of St. Andrew the First-Called: after the Baptism of Rus', “in the place where the holy Apostle planted his rod, a temple in the name of the holy Apostle Andrew was erected in In it, a priceless and honest treasure - a multi-healing rod - is placed, about which many and inscrutable miracles have been told, and to this day we see them all.”

In the second half of the 16th century, a “Tale briefly about the creation of the most venerable monastery of the divine Transfiguration of the Lord God our Savior Jesus Christ on Valaam and partly a story about the venerable saints, the father of the same monastery, the head of Sergius and Herman, and about the bringing of their holy relics” was compiled, which talks about the visit Apostle Andrew of Balaam.

The Kiev Council of 1621 even testified: “The Holy Apostle Andrew is the first Archbishop of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Russian Apostle, and his feet stood on the Kyiv mountains, and his eyes saw Russia and his lips favored.”

Apostle Andrew, brother of the Supreme Apostle Peter, the heavenly patron of St. Petersburg, is also the patron of this city: on the day of the founding of the northern capital - the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, May 16/27, 1703 - Peter the Great laid an ark with a particle of the relics of the Apostle Andrew at the foundation of the fortress.

The Order of St. Andrew the First-Called became the highest order of the state. This is the first and most famous Russian order. Until 1917 - highest award Russian Empire, and since 1998 - and Russian Federation. The order was established by Peter I in 1698 or 1699. According to the draft statute of the order, drawn up in 1720 by Peter I, it should be awarded “as reward and reward to some for loyalty, courage and various services rendered to us and the fatherland, and to others to encourage all noble and heroic virtues, for nothing encourages and does not inflame human curiosity and love of fame, like clear signs and visible reward for virtue.”

Most of the 12 apostles were fishermen. But it was the First-Called Apostle who became the patron of the Russian navy. Establishing the Russian Navy, Peter I chose the image of a blue oblique St. Andrew's Cross for his banner. He personally developed the flag project, and, according to legend, “Peter the Great, who fell asleep at night at his desk, was awakened by the morning sun, the rays of which, breaking through the frozen mica of the window, fell on a white sheet of paper in a bluish diagonal cross. The light of the sun and the color of the sea - that’s what St. Andrew’s flag symbolizes.”

In 1718, in the Church of the Holy Apostle Andrew in Kronstadt, the rite of consecration of the St. Andrew’s flag was performed for the first time, which began to flutter over the ship “St. Nicholas” and the frigate “Eagle”.

The flag with the St. Andrew's Cross flies today again, after decades of atheistic oppression, over Russian warships.

"Jesus Boat"

In the winter of 1986, after a long summer drought, the water level in Lake Galilee dropped sharply. The southeastern coast was exposed. Two young people - local fishermen - noticed things of clearly ancient origin in the silt - pieces of plank plating from a ship. At that moment the sky began to shine double Rainbow. The young men reported the discovery to archaeological services. Work began to remove the boat from the silt.

This artifact became known as the “Jesus boat”

The ship turned out to be quite large: its length is 8 meters and its width is 2.3 meters. This boat could accommodate 13 people. Research has shown that 12 types of wood were used during construction: cedar, pine, cypress, etc. They made it simple people, who used every board at their disposal.

Today, scientists are unanimous in determining the time of construction and wreck of the boat - the beginning of the 1st century AD. It was on these boats that the fishermen sailed, catching fish on Lake Galilee.

The found boat - a unique and only vessel of that era and culture - is kept in a special museum on the shores of the Sea of ​​Galilee. The artifact began to be called the “Jesus boat.” Some - meaning her age. Others - suggesting its direct relationship to New Testament history.

The Savior's first miracle was the transformation of water into wine. The last miracle, which marked the end of Christ's earthly ministry, is also associated with water - blood and water poured out from His pierced side. John Chrysostom noted: “It was not without meaning and not by chance that these sources flowed out, but because the Church was made up of both. Those initiated into the mysteries know this: they are reborn by water, and are nourished by blood and flesh.” And Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria continued: “Blood shows that the Crucified is a man, and water that He is higher than man, namely, God.”

The Apostle John proclaimed: “And three bear witness on earth: the spirit, the water and the blood; and these three are about one” (1 John 5:8).

Let us prayerfully hope that the Lord, through the intercession of His First-Called Apostle, will not deprive us of a place in His boat and “the source of water flowing into eternal life.”

The Apostle Andrew was from Galilee. This northern part of the Holy Land was distinguished by its fertility and picturesqueness, and its inhabitants were good natured and hospitable. The Galileans easily got along with the Greeks, who inhabited their country in large numbers; many spoke Greek and even wore greek names. The name Andrey is Greek and means “courageous.”

When John the Baptist began to preach on the banks of the Jordan, Andrew, together with John Zebedee (who came from the same city - Bethsaida), followed the prophet, hoping to find an answer to his spiritual questions in his teaching. Many began to think that maybe John the Baptist was the expected Messiah, but he explained to people that he was not the Messiah, but was sent only to prepare the way for Him. At that time, the Lord Jesus Christ came to John the Baptist on the Jordan for baptism, and he, pointing to the Lord, said to his disciples: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” Hearing this, Andrew and John followed Jesus. The Lord, seeing them, asked: “What do you need?” They said: “Rabbi (Teacher), where do you live?” “Come and see,” Jesus answered, and from that time they became His disciples. On the same day, the Apostle Andrew went to his brother Simon Peter and told him: “We have found the Messiah.” So Peter joined the disciples of Christ.

However, the apostles did not immediately devote themselves entirely to the apostolic title. From the Gospel we know that the brothers Andrew and Simon Peter and the brothers John and James had to return to their families for a while and take up their usual work - fishing. A few months later, the Lord, passing by Lake Galilee and seeing them fishing, said: “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their boats and nets and from that day became constant disciples of Christ.

Andrew, who followed the Lord earlier than the other apostles, received the name First-Called. He remained with Christ throughout the entire period of His public ministry. After the Resurrection of the Savior, Apostle Andrew, together with other disciples, was honored with meetings with Him and was present on the Mount of Olives when the Lord, having blessed them, ascended to Heaven.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles cast lots as to who should go to which country to preach the Gospel. Saint Andrew inherited the countries lying along the Black Sea coast, the northern part Balkan Peninsula and Scythia, i.e. the Land on which Russia was later formed. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew preached on the Tauride Peninsula, then climbed north along the Dnieper and reached the place where Kyiv subsequently arose. “Believe me,” the apostle said to his disciples, “that the grace of God will shine on these mountains: great city will be here, the Lord will enlighten this land with holy baptism and erect many churches here.” Then the Apostle Andrew blessed the Kyiv mountains and erected a cross on one of them, foreshadowing the adoption of faith by the future inhabitants of Rus'.

After returning to Greece, the Apostle Andrew stopped in the city of Patros (Patra), located near the Gulf of Corinth. Here, through the laying on of hands, he healed many people from illnesses, including the noble Maximilla, who believed in Christ with all her heart and became a disciple of the apostle. Since many residents of Patras believed in Christ, the local ruler Egeat was inflamed with hatred against the Apostle Andrew and sentenced Him to crucifixion. The apostle, not at all afraid of the verdict, in an inspired sermon revealed to those gathered the spiritual power and significance of the Savior’s suffering on the cross.

Governor Egeat did not believe the apostle's preaching, calling his teaching madness. Then he ordered the apostle to be crucified so that he would suffer longer. St. Andrew was tied to the cross like the letter X, without driving nails into his hands and feet, so as not to cause quick death. The unjust sentence of Egeat caused indignation among the people, nevertheless this sentence remained in force.

Hanging on the cross, the Apostle Andrew prayed incessantly. Before the separation of his soul from his body, the heavenly light shone on Andrew’s cross, and in its brilliance the apostle departed into the eternal Kingdom of God. The martyrdom of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called followed about 62 years after the Nativity of Christ.

The Russian Church, having accepted the faith from Byzantium, whose bishops trace their succession to the Apostle Andrew, also considers itself his successor. That is why the memory of Saint Andrew the First-Called was so solemnly revered in pre-revolutionary Russia. Emperor Peter I established the first and highest order in honor of the Apostle Andrew, which was given as a reward to dignitaries of the state. Since the times of Peter the Great, the Russian fleet has made its banner the St. Andrew's flag, a blue X-shaped cross on a white background, under the shadow of which the Russians won many victories.

Saint by birth Apostle Andrew the First-Called was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and later, together with his brother Simon, he fished near the shores of Lake Gennesaret in the vicinity of Capernaum.

The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was the first of the apostles to follow Christ and bring his sibling Saint Apostle Peter (Simon).

Future apostle with youth distinguished by his prayerful striving towards God, he did not marry, and became a disciple of the holy prophet John the Baptist, who announced the Incarnation.

On the banks of the Jordan, John the Baptist pointed out to Andrew the coming Lord of his Christ and Savior: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Andrei did not hesitate any longer and followed to the Divine Teacher, from whom everyone first heard the verbs of life. Andrew hastened to tell the good news to his elder brother Simon and became the first evangelist to exclaim: “We have found the Messiah, the spoken Christ!”

Andrew the First-Called brought his older brother Simon to Jesus, who gave him a new name: Cephas, or Peter, that is, stone.

Two fishermen brothers Andrew and Peter, called by the Lord before the other apostles, followed the Lord for three years when he preached about the kingdom of God, healing the sick and paralytic.

In sacred tradition, the external image of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called“He was of considerable stature and taller, but somewhat bent, had an aquiline nose, eyes filled with a gracious expression, slender eyebrows, thick hair and braid.

His one word healed the sick with the laying on of hands; He sprinkled the paralytic and the lepers blessed water and returned them bodily strength and frequency; He gave sight to the blind through just the touch of his fingers; everyone was amazed not so much at his miracles as at the meekness and humility with which he pronounced the words of divine wisdom.”

While preaching the Word of God, the holy Apostle Andrew made several journeys, during which he returned to Jerusalem three times.

He passed through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, Scythia and the Black Sea region. Apostle Andrew climbed up the Dnieper to the location of present-day Kyiv, where he planted a cross on Kyiv mountains, turning to his students with the words: “Do you see these mountains? The grace of God will shine on these mountains, there will be a great city, and God will build many churches.”

St. Andrew's Church in Kyiv.

Moving further north, the Apostle Andrew reached the Slavic settlements on the site of the future Novgorod and planted his staff near the present village of Gruzino. From here the Apostle Andrew headed back to Thrace, passing through the lands of the Varangians and Rome.

Apostle Andrew the First-Called erects a cross on the Kyiv mountains.
N. P. Lomtev 1848

Having visited many cities and coastal villages where churches were founded by him, he finally reached Byzantium. In the suburb of Argyropol, or the Silver City, Saint Andrew installed as bishop one of the 70 disciples of Christ, Stachy, who became the head of the hierarchy of the new Rome, just as the Apostle Clement was appointed head of the old Rome by Peter.

Apostles from the 70 Stachy, Amplius, Urvan and others.

The last city where the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called came, and where he suffered martyrdom in the year 62, was the city of Patras (Patras). Here, through the prayer of the apostle, the seriously ill noble city dweller Sosius recovered. Also, through prayer, the wife of the ruler of Patras, Maximilla, and his brother, the philosopher Stratocles, were healed by the laying on of apostolic hands.

This prompted the inhabitants of Patras to receive from the Apostle Andrew holy baptism, however, the ruler of the city, consul Egeat, remained an inveterate pagan. The holy apostle with love and humility appealed to his soul, trying to reveal to him the Christian mystery eternal life and the miraculous power of the Holy Cross of the Lord.

The angry Aegeates ordered the apostle to be crucified. With joy, Andrei the First-Called accepted the ruler’s decision and ascended to the place of execution. In order to prolong the torment of the holy apostle, Aegeates ordered not to nail his hands and feet to the cross, but to tie them. According to legend, the cross on which the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified had the shape of the letter “X” and was called the “St. Andrew’s Cross.”

For two days the apostle taught from the cross to the townspeople gathered around. The people who listened to him sympathized with 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 from the cross, 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 sanctified the cross and the martyr crucified on it. When the radiance disappeared, the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called had already given up his soul to the Lord. Maximilla, the ruler's wife, removed the apostle's body from the cross and buried him with honor.

The Wanderings of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called

Having set out to preach the teachings of Christ, baptizing believers and teaching them divine secrets, Saint Andrew, Peter and Matthew reached the city of Sinope in the Scythian lands, which was the capital of the Pontic kings, where there were many Jews.

The Jews of Sinope were divided among themselves into various heresies, and the very barbaric pagans who lived in Sinope were people of a cruel and bestial disposition. The apostles did not enter the city, but stopped on the edge of the cape, six miles from Sinop, and they converted many of the Jews and pagans to Christianity, confirming their teaching with constant signs.

Coming out of Sinop, the apostles divided their paths - the Apostle Peter, taking Guy with him, went to the west to preach the teachings of Christ, and the Holy Apostle Andrew with Matthew and other disciples, went to the east with educational teaching to the Slavs and Greeks to the east.

Western Christians turn to St. Peter as the main stone of their Church, who established for them the supreme see in Rome. Eastern Christians flow with love to Saint Andrew, who went around their borders with the message of the Gospel. Saint Andrew the First-Called installed the first bishop in Constantinople, in Byzantium, who became the head of all Eastern Christianity.

On the following Saturday, he went up to the synagogue of Sinope and preached the word of truth to the Jews, proving from the Holy Scriptures that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, ascending the stone and stretching out his hand, made the sign of the cross, and all the suffering and sick were healed. Surprised by his miracles, citizens brought donations, but the apostle distributed everything to the poor, and many, believing through him in the Lord Jesus, were baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity.

The Apostle Andrew preached and enlightened the inhabitants of the cities and villages of Pontus, confirming them in the faith of the Lord Jesus; with the help of converts, he built a church, created an altar for bloodless sacrifice and ordained priests and deacons.

Both poor people and rich nobles, men and wives, Jews and pagans, were baptized in the church, for at that time the rulers of the Roman Empire - Tiberius Caesar, Gaius and Claudius - did not interfere with the confession of the teachings of Christ. The Apostle Andrew taught all parishioners prayer, singing psalms, glorification, and sacred rites, commanding those praying to stand facing the east, on their knees, making the sign of the cross. The Apostle Andrew taught parishioners to fast and stay awake, not to read pagan mythology, but to study the Holy Scriptures.

He visited Trebizond, a city of rude and harsh ignorant morals, lying in the land of Lazov, on the banks of the Pontus, and then went to Iberia, where he preached for quite a long time in its cities: Neglia, Klarjet and Artakan Kolos. From there, the Apostle Andrew went further to the land of the Parthians, Somkhetia, and returned to Jerusalem for the holiday of Easter.

The third journey of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called around Pontus began from Edes, from where he, together with Matthew and Simon the Canaanite, went to the land of Iveron without hindrance preaching Christ the Savior, they passed part of the Trialeti region to the river called Chorokhi.
The Apostle Andrew preached “to the Scythians, Sogdians and Horsians, and even reached the great city of Sebast and the Phasis River (now the Rioni River), where the Ivirs, Sus, Fusti and Alans live...”

The apostles also visited mountainous Svaneti, the princess of Svaneti accepted their preaching, Matthew remained here at the head of the church, and great Andrey with Simon the Canaanite they climbed into the mountains where the Ossetians lived, and reached the city of Fostofor, and converted many to Christianity.

More accurate and detailed information about the Apostle Andrew belongs to Nikita Paphlagon in his “Eulogy to the Apostle Andrew,” 9th century. “You, worthy of all my respect, Andrei, having received the north as your inheritance, jealously bypassed the Iberians, Sauromatians, Tauri and Scythians and flowed through all the regions and cities adjacent from the north to the south of the Euxine Pontus.”

Under the Taurians and Scythians, the inhabitants of the Crimea and the inhabitants of Lesser Scythia are mentioned here, the territory of which extends from the city of Chersonesos to the Borysthenes River (Dnieper River) and the Danube. The path of the Holy Apostle Andrew walked along the shores of the Black and Caspian seas.

Epiphanius of Cyprus collected a lot of evidence about Andrew the First-Called, and compiled a biography and the path of the holy evangelist. The Apostle Andrew enlightened many Iberians in Iveria (Georgia), in Svaneti, which was ruled by the Pontic queen, the widow of the murdered Pontic king. Svaneti received the Holy Gospel, Apostle Matthias, companion of the Apostle Andrew, was left here to establish the Christian Church.

From Svaneti, Saint Andrew the First-Called went to Ossetia, and in the city of Fostofor he converted many to the Christian faith.
Epiphanius of Cyprus reports that “The Apostle Andrew taught the Scythians, Kosogdians and Gorsines, in Sevastopol the Great, where the fortification of Apsara and the harbor of Issa and Phasis are the river; Ivers, and Susa, and Fusts, and Alans live here.”

From mountainous Ossetia his path lay to Abkhazia, to the city of Sevast, where else more people accepted his preaching. From the works of the Holy Fathers, published by Men, we learn that “The Apostle Andrew went around, preaching the gospel, all the seaside of Bithynia and Pontus, Thrace and Scythia, then arrived in Sevastopol the Great, where the fortification of Apsara and the Phasis River are. The inhabitants of Sebaste accepted the word of God, and the holy Apostle Simon remained at the head of the church.

According to researchers, these geographical names, belong to the territory of modern Abkhazia, where the city of Sukhum is the ancient Greek colony of Dioscuria, in the Roman era it was known as Sevastopol and Sevastopol the Great, from here there was a trade route to India and Asian countries. The Phasis River is ancient name Rioni River.

The Holy Apostle Andrew went along the sea to the land of hard-hearted dzhigets, immersed in the darkness of wickedness. The Dzhigets did not accept the preaching of the Apostle Andrew and looked for an opportunity to kill him, but the Lord preserved him. Blessed Andrew, seeing their inflexibility and hardness of heart, withdrew from them, so the dzhigets remain in disbelief to this day.

Saint Andrew retired from them to Upper Sundag, the inhabitants of which joyfully followed the teachings of Christ, then he went with his preaching and miracles performed in the Name of God to the Bosporus, where he attracted many townspeople to Jesus Christ.

Not far from Byzantium, in Akropolis, or Vyshgorod, the Apostle Andrew built a church near the city gate, called Avgenon, and the church itself bears the name of Armason.

The Apostle Andrew preached to the Scythians who lived in the territory from the Balkans to the mouth of the Danube and beyond.
Then Andrew the First-Called went to the Thracian city of Heraclius and remained there for a long time, sowing the seed of divine knowledge. Bishop Heraclius, as the eldest of his spiritual brethren, has the right to present the pastoral staff to the Patriarch of Constantinople himself.
Visiting the cities of Macedonia, the Apostle Andrew preached, comforted and healed the sick, baptized, built churches, and ordained elders.

He remained in Thessalonica for a long time, teaching the people and strengthening the believers who had been converted to Christianity by the preaching of the holy Apostle Paul. From Thessalonica he went to the Peloponnese and visited the Achaian city, ancient Patras - here was the limit of his apostolic feat.

In 357, the relics of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called were solemnly transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles next to the relics of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke and the disciple of the Apostle Paul, Timothy. After the capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders, in 1208, the relics of St. Apostle Andrew were transported to Italy and placed in cathedral in Amalfi.

Since 1720, by decree of Peter I, the St. Andrew's flag with the image of the St. Andrew's cross was established. This flag became the official flag Navy Russia.

22.04.2015

The 13th day of December is the day of remembrance of St. Andrew the First-Called - the apostle of Jesus Christ, the patron saint of sailors. Tsar Peter I founded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called - the main and highest award of Russia back in 1698, and exactly 300 years later this award was revived and became the basis of the symbolism of the Russian Navy.

On the night of December 13, unmarried and unmarried girls have been telling fortunes about grooms since ancient times: putting a loaf of bread under their pillow, they uttered the words: “Betrothed, come to me for dinner.” After that, they went to bed and judged the future based on what they dreamed that night. If the same man was dreamed of on Christmastide and on the night of St. Andrew’s, then the fortune-telling would come true exactly. It was forbidden to talk to anyone before and after fortune telling, and close relatives were not allowed to go hungry.

The Apostle of Jesus Christ, Andrew the First-Called, was one of his twelve disciples. Before following his teacher, he was engaged in fishing in the city of Bethsaida in Galilee. Andrew the First-Called received his name from the fact that he became the first apostle of the Lord, and besides, he was the first to bring to him his older brother Simon, who later became the apostle Peter.

Prayers became the main aspiration of young Andrei; he did not look for a wife and did not marry, but was a disciple of John the Baptist, the holy prophet who announced the Incarnation. After John the Baptist pointed to the Lamb of God, as he called Jesus Christ, Andrew and John the Theologian immediately followed the Lord and became his disciples. After the Resurrection of the Lord and the Ascension, which Andrew the First-Called witnessed, he comes to Jerusalem,

There, Andrei, as predicted, is filled with the Holy Spirit. After these events, the Apostle Andrew goes on a journey, where he preaches the Word of God. Three times he returned to Jerusalem, preached the Faith of Christ in Iberia, Bithynia, Pontus, communicated with people on different languages, healed people from incurable diseases. In Constantinople (in those days - Byzantium), the Apostle Andrew created the Christian Church, preached on the shores of the Black Sea and reached Kyiv.

After traveling, where he was beaten and expelled from cities by the pagans, the Apostle Andrew was executed. According to legend, he suffered martyrdom in the city of Patras, where the ruler of the city, not wanting to accept the Christian faith, ordered the apostle’s hands to be tied to an X-shaped cross. The oblique St. Andrew's cross, which is awarded to dignitaries of the Russian state, today has exactly this shape, and the Russian fleet under the St. Andrew's banner has become the winner in many naval battles since the times of Peter the Great.

Alexander I, who honored with his presence the beginning of the construction of St. Andrew's Cathedral in Kronstadt in 1805, gave the go-ahead for its construction. And after 12 years, at the end of summer, a ceremony was held to illuminate the temple with 10 unique bells. Later, famous naval commanders and admirals were interred at the Cathedral great Russia, including the discoverer of Antarctica F.F. Bellingshausen.