Life of St. Andrew the First-Called summary. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Orthodox shrine - St. Andrew's Cross

Apostle Andrew the First-Called has the grace of help in a large number of matters, because his life was full of spiritual exploits and travels. Read the prayer and life of the apostle

Icon of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called and help from his honest relics

It is known that in Orthodox tradition It is customary to pray to different saints in different difficulties, according to different cases. The grace to help in special areas of life is related to the miracles they performed on earth or their destiny. Likewise, the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called has the grace of help in a large number of matters, because his life was varied, full of spiritual exploits and travels.

The Holy Apostle Andrew was called the First-Called because he became the first disciple of Christ. His Lord was the first to invite people to follow Him, learning His teaching. And after the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord into Heaven, together with the other apostles, Saint Andrew worked and preached the teachings of Christ. His journey was longer and more extensive than that of other missionaries. It was the Apostle Andrew who brought Christianity to earth future Russia. But he did not die among the barbarians, but ended his life as a martyr not far from his homeland, preaching the Cross of Christ and His teaching with his very death.

How to recognize the icon of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called by its features?

In the church books - “the writings of the apostolic men,” that is, the records of the direct disciples of the apostles, there remains a description of the appearance of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called: it is said that he was tall and somewhat stooped, had an eagle-shaped nose, narrow eyebrows, thick hair and a beard, his eyes were kind, his gaze pious.

The image of St. Andrew the Apostle is an image of an elderly man with a thick gray beard, curling and tapering downwards. Church historians claim that he was born in the 6th year after the Nativity of Christ, that is, he was only 6 years younger than the Lord Jesus. It is known that he took martyrdom at 65 years old, which is why he is depicted at this age in the icon.

Sometimes the image shows the death of the Apostle Andrew or the instrument of his execution: the cross on which he, like Christ, was crucified, has an unusual shape for those times: these are two beveled boards equal length. At the direction of Peter I, it became the basis of the banner of the Russian fleet - the St. Andrew's flag. It is also sometimes depicted on an icon - it is a white panel crossed out by two beveled blue lines.

Sometimes the Apostle Andrew is depicted on the icon at full height, standing near his cross. Then he will hold a scroll in one hand, and with the other he will bless those praying in front of the icon. There are also shoulder-length images of the apostle, then his head will be bowed as if as a sign of humility before the Lord, but his hands will not be visible. In addition, the saint’s hands are folded crosswise on his chest, while his eyes are raised upward - these are prayer gestures. The holy apostle humbly, without grumbling, accepted his lot and the will of God about him; Praying to the Lord, even today he intercedes for the requests of all people. Seeing the death of Christ, like the other apostles, being afraid to approach His Cross, he repented of his betrayal of the Lord. He understood that he had to go through the same torment that he was afraid of when his Teacher, his Friend - and after all, Christ, except the apostles and His Mother, had no loved ones - abandoned by everyone, died on the Cross. Perhaps this is why only one of the apostles who remained with Christ at the time of His death, the Apostle John the Theologian, died of old age; the rest, in order to achieve holiness, atone for their sin and sit on the throne in the Kingdom of Heaven, had to testify to their loyalty to God.

In the 8th-9th centuries, the Byzantine monk Epiphanius systematized all information about the Apostle Andrew. He also mentioned the iron rod depicted on the icons of the Apostle Andrew with the image of the Cross of the Lord. In his long wanderings the saint always relied on him.

Revered icons of the First-Called Apostle are located in the following churches in Russia and the CIS:

• St. Andrew's Church on Vagankovsky cemetery capital of Russia.


• Church in honor of the icon Mother of God“Joy of All Who Sorrow” on Ordynka - here a small reliquary is built into the icon.


• Dormition Church "Sioni" in Georgia, where the image of St. Apostle Andrew exudes myrrh - a fragrant, wonderful liquid from the essential oils of unknown plants.


• Holy Trinity Patriarchal Cathedral of Tbilisi - here is an unusual wooden carved image of the apostle.


• Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi.


• Church in honor of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God in Kuzminki.


• Zosimo-Savvatievskaya Church in Golyanovo.


• St. Andrew's Church in the Diveyevo Convent, founded Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky.


• St. Andrew's Cathedral in St. Petersburg - the husband of Blessed Xenia was a singer here.

Life of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called

The future saint was born in the village of Bethsaida, near Jerusalem. He was the elder brother of the future supreme apostle Peter, named Simon at birth. As a young man, he loved God with all his soul and wanted to devote his life to Him. He prayed a lot, did not marry, and worked on the boats of his father Jonah, together with his brother Simon, catching fish for sale and food. Having learned that a new prophet had appeared in Israel, preaching and baptizing on the banks of the Jordan, Andrei immediately joined the disciples of the Forerunner of the Lord John, becoming his close ally. The evangelists Matthew and John tell, but with slight differences, not contradictory friend, about Andrei’s meeting with Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John we read that John the Baptist himself pointed to the walking Jesus Christ, saying that the Lamb (sacrificial lamb) of God is coming, who takes upon himself the sins of all mankind. It was then that the future Apostle Andrew was next to him, and then he saw the Lord Jesus for the first time. But the Apostle Matthew writes that Christ Himself called Andrew to follow Him: seeing him and his brothers landing in a boat after a hard day of work in a boat, the Lord turned to them, calling them to follow Him and promising to make fishers of men, not fish, preaching Life eternal.

Perhaps the Apostle Andrew, standing next to John the Baptist, did not dare to leave his teacher and friend, but then John the Baptist blessed him to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. So, Apostle Andrew believes in Christ, takes upon himself the mission of preaching to people and decisively leaves home, family and property, following the Lord on his first journeys with which his whole life will be filled. He became the first apostle, the first companion of the Lord Jesus.

Soon Andrew announced the good news (this is how the word “Gospel” is translated), in in a general sense meaning the teachings of Christ) to the elder brother Simon. According to the evangelists, he became the first person to exclaim: “We have found the Messiah, whose Name is Christ!” Andrew the First-Called brought his brother to Christ, and the Lord called him a new name: Peter, or Cephas - in Greek “stone”, explaining that on him, as on a stone, the Church would be created, which hell would not be able to defeat.


According to the word of the Gospel, Andrew the First-Called was directly involved in several well-known episodes of Christ’s earthly life: he brought to the Lord a boy who had with him five loaves of bread and a pair of fish, which Christ, having blessed, miraculously multiplied and fed the crowd of people who were hungry after a whole day of preaching. Another time, with the Apostle Philip, they brought the Greeks - Hellenes, who wanted to move away from paganism and accept the teachings of Christ - to the Lord. Andrew the First-Called was among the chosen disciples of the Lord, whom he gathered on the Mount of Olives to talk about Last Judgment and the future of humanity.

The Apostle Andrew accompanied Christ and at His sunset earthly path: at the Last Supper he received Communion from the hands of Christ, then, together with the other apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane, he tried to intercede for Christ, but he was afraid and, like everyone else, disappeared. During the Crucifixion, the apostles, for fear of being killed, did not approach the Cross of the Lord, except for one apostle John. However, after the Resurrection of Christ, they believed in the Divine will about the Crucifixion, death and the Kingdom of the Lord, and understood this to the end. During the Ascension of the Lord, Apostle Andrew and others received a blessing from the Lord to go and teach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Holy Trinity: God the Father - Sabaoth, God the Son - Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit - the invisible Lord, visibly abiding in human history only in the form of fire, smoke or dove. The Holy Spirit descended on the Apostle Andrew, who, together with the Mother of God and the other apostles, was in the Upper Room of Zion - the place of the Last Supper - on Pentecost, that is, in memory of the Resurrection of Christ, they celebrated the meal on the fiftieth day after it.

Sermon of St. Andrew the First-Called in Russia and Slavic countries

After the Descent of the Holy Spirit on them, the apostles were enlightened with Divine knowledge. God Himself spoke in them, they instantly spoke in all the languages ​​of the world: the Lord gave them this gift to preach the Gospel throughout the world. All the disciples of Christ, together with the Mother of God, received by lot directions and places where they were supposed to convert people to Christianity by baptizing them. According to the book of the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Andrew the First-Called was given the Black Sea coast and the Black Sea region.

Travel, and especially the journeys that the apostles embarked on, in that era were not easy and life-threatening due to the appropriate transport. I had to walk a lot, it was long and scary to sail on ships, and to turn into new faith people for whom blood sacrifices and murder for calling local gods demons were normal. Just think, if even today's atheists go as far as insulting them, which was the case in ancient centuries. In the Roman Empire, there was even a law according to which people were executed for blasphemy, for preaching another religion - after all, even the emperor was considered here an infallible and omnipotent god among a host of other deities. By the time of the decline of the Roman Empire in the first centuries of Christianity, many understood that the gods of the Roman pantheon either did not exist or were evil, envious, vicious creatures. The apostles set out on a dangerous journey.

After Pentecost, Andrew the First-Called first went around the row preaching the Gospel eastern countries. He walked through Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia: the cities of Neokesarea, Samosata, the country of Alana, and also walked around the lands of the Basque and Zigi tribes. These pagans opposed the Word of God so much that among them there were people who wanted to kill the apostle as a blasphemer of their gods. But his humility, calmness, kindness and ascetic life inspired many of them, and the apostle was saved. He passed through the kingdom of Bosporus on the Black Sea coast and sailed by ship to the city of the Thracian country of Byzantium - the future center of the Byzantine Empire and the stronghold of Orthodoxy. It was Andrew the First-Called who was the first to preach the word of God here, founded the Church and ordained Bishop Stachys, one of the 70 apostles of Christ, whom He Himself sent during his lifetime to preach the Gospel. He taught Stachys and the ordained Byzantine priests how to perform the Sacraments and spiritually help people.

This important event for Orthodoxy was deeply studied by historians and theologians of the Byzantine Empire. With the help of understanding and studying the sermon of the Apostle Andrew, the Eastern Christian Church was established as an independent Church and equivalent to the Roman Church. Later, after the separation of the Catholic Church during the Great Schism of the 11th century, it became the only Orthodox Church. Byzantium emphasized that the Apostle Andrew was the elder brother of the Apostle Peter, and promoted the veneration of the Apostle Andrew in those countries where he preached Christ and where later Byzantine priests, as experienced shepherds, baptized and enlightened people: these are Armenia, Georgia, Moravia and Russia. The Byzantine Emperor Michael Ducas called on the Russian princes for a close alliance and brotherly love great Orthodox states, united not only by faith, but also by one source: both future kingdoms were enlightened with the Gospel light by “one witness of the Sacrament and its messenger,” Apostle Andrew. Over time, the Russian Orthodox Church began to assert its independence from the Roman Catholic Church on the basis of the preaching of the Apostle Andrew.

Indeed, Andrew the First-Called reached the Danube, and after passing the Crimean peninsula and the Black Sea coast, he moved further and climbed the Dnieper to the future Kyiv. According to legend, here, at the foot of the mountains, he spent the night with his companions and disciples, to whom he prophetically told, drawing their attention to the mountains, that it would shine here God's grace, will spread out great city with many of God's churches. The First-Called Apostle erected a cross on the Kyiv mountains and blessed them with the grace of God.

But, according to the chroniclers, he did not stop here, but reached the sources of Volkhov in his wanderings. Near the present village of Gruzino on the Volkhov River, he immersed (hence the name) a cross into the water of the river - perhaps it was the same rod with a cross on which the apostle leaned.

Another place consecrated by the preaching of the Apostle Andrew and then shone with God’s grace was the island of Valaam in Lake Ladoga. Now here - Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam monastery, a spiritual gem of the Northwest region. According to legend, there used to be a pagan temple here, which was destroyed by Andrew the First-Called and a cross was erected in its place. On Valaam, to this day, not far from the Resurrection Skete, where the throne of the main skete church is consecrated in honor of the Apostle Andrew, there is a stone cross in the place of the apostle.

Unfortunately, historians do not have accurate data on how far the First-Called Apostle walked across the future Russian land. Church tradition often supplemented both the Gospel word and historical documents with your information. However, a number of scientists suggest that the holy apostle not only passed through the Crimea, consecrating the already existing city of Chersonesos (the famous Roman poet Ovid was probably in exile there), but also visited the Caucasus and Kuban. All Orthodox Russian people are sure of one thing: it is the First-Called Apostle who is also the first missionary to the Slavic lands. His name connects the Mother Church of Constantinople with the Russian Daughter Church, which was baptized from the Byzantine clergy. He has protected Russia for a number of eras.

The suffering and death of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called

During his wanderings, the apostle suffered not only hardships, but even torture. In some cities he was expelled and stoned. Thus, in the city of Sinope he was subjected to torture and beatings, but by God’s providence he remained alive and unharmed, continuing on his way. Through his prayers, God worked miracles, and through his labors, churches appeared and grew under the leadership of wise priests.

Through the prayers of the apostle, the Lord performed miracles. Through the labors of the Holy Apostle Andrew, Christian Churches arose, for which he appointed bishops and priesthood. In the city of Patras, upon returning from his long wanderings, he suffered a martyr's death.

In this place he also preached Christ, healed and resurrected people. Almost the entire population of the city converted to Christianity. Alas, the head of the city, Egeat, remained a pagan. His heart was hard. After a long dispute with the apostle, he angrily ordered that he be executed by the same death on the cross as the Christ he preached.

The apostle's preaching was not in vain. The people came to his defense and even wanted to kill Eneatus. But the apostle himself stopped the rebels from prison, asking them not to turn the city and the world into a rebellion that would please only the devil - after all, the Lord Himself, being led to execution, did not shout or resist evil. He called on them to remain calm and silent.

The holy apostle was not nailed to the cross, but tied to prolong his torment. According to the Holy Tradition, 20 thousand people were in the square for two days, outraged by the injustice of the execution of the righteous man. The Apostle, even in his suffering, preached from the cross, calling on all the difficulties of earthly life, even terrible death endure with submission to the will of God and expectation of reward in the Kingdom of Heaven.

A day later, people nevertheless went to the ruler and demanded to release the saint - so much so that the ruler got scared and he and his servants went to untie the apostle. But Andrew the First-Called began to pray so as not to be taken down from the cross and to receive the crown of martyrdom. Even the hands of the warriors and townspeople who tried to untie him grew stiff. The crucified apostle glorified God and asked Him to accept his soul - at the death of the apostle, a bright light actually shone from Heaven for about half an hour. The Lord himself descended for the soul of his first disciple, who redeemed with blood and testified with torment his fidelity to Christ.

Miracles of the Apostle Andrew

Like the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to help people suffering from their sins and convince them of the power of the Word of God, the Apostle Andrew helped people, healing them and helping resolve their difficulties in life, even resurrecting the dead. Thus, he healed the sick by the laying on of hands, sprinkled the paralyzed and sick with holy water, and with the touch of his fingers restored people’s sight. According to the writings of the apostle’s disciples, people were surprised not only by the miracles, but by the holiness and meekness of Andrew the First-Called himself.

The Apostle Andrew became famous for resurrecting many people in the name of God. Church historical sources provide the following information about his lifetime miracles, preserving even the names of those resurrected and reflecting the attitude of residents of different cities to Christianity:

In the city of Sinope - from where the pagans expelled him, subjecting him to torture - the apostle, at the request of a new Christian woman, resurrected her murdered husband. He held no grudges against the townspeople.




In Atskuri, on the territory of modern Georgia, the apostle resurrected a man prepared for burial, and thanks to this miracle, all the inhabitants of the city were baptized - unlike the Sinopians.




In Amaseev, the First-Called Apostle resurrected the boy Egyptius, who had died of a fever, through the prayer of his father.




During funeral procession Along the streets of Nicomedia, the apostle approached the tomb of a child and resurrected the boy who had died from the teeth of an animal.




While preaching on the city streets in Thessaloniki, the apostle resurrected a child who suddenly died due to respiratory arrest, and a baby who died from a snake bite.




In one of the cities, the Roman proconsul, with the help of soldiers, captured the apostle. One of the soldiers, who drew his sword at the saint, fell dead, but was immediately resurrected through the prayer of the apostle. This did not convince the cruel ruler named Virin of the power of God, and he threw the apostle into the amphitheater to beasts of prey. According to legend, neither the wild bull and boar, nor the leopard touched Saint Andrew, but the spotted predator suddenly rushed at the son of Virin himself. The boy strangled by a leopard was also resurrected by the good apostle himself, ready to help the grief of even his own tormentors.




The Apostle Andrew performed many miracles in the last city of his earthly journey - Patras. It is not for nothing that all the inhabitants of the city converted to Christianity. Thus, the apostle resurrected a drowned man who had been thrown ashore by the sea during a sermon. The resurrected man said that his name was Philopatra and he sailed from Macedonia to meet the apostle and accept the new teaching of Christ. His faith was rewarded: through the prayer of the apostle, the sea threw out 40 people sailing on a ship with Philopatra. All of them were resurrected by Andrew the First-Called. It was this miracle that gave rise to the veneration of the Apostle Andrew as the patron and savior of all sailors and fishermen.

Evidence of other patristic miracles has also been preserved: the healing of the seriously ill nobleman Sosius, the healing of the wife of the ruler Aeneat Maximilla and his brother Stratocles. That is why, when this cruel man sent the assistant and teacher of his relatives and subordinates to execution, people rebelled.

Maximilla herself, the ruler’s wife, gave burial to the honorable relics of the saint. On the site of the martyrdom of the Apostle Andrew in Patras, there now stands a huge cathedral in his honor - the largest temple in Greece, storing the relics of the righteous man and his cross.

The relics of St. Andrew the First-Called and his veneration in Russia

Several centuries later, with the triumph of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire, in 357, Emperor Constantine the Great ordered the relics of the first enlightener of the Byzantine lands, Apostle Andrew, to be transferred to Constantinople - the former village of Byzantium, where the saint preached. Here they were solemnly placed for veneration in the Church of the Cathedral of the Apostles, along with the relics of the Apostle and Evangelist Luke and the Apostle Timothy, a companion of the Apostle Paul.

Here they rested until 1208, when the city was captured by the crusaders and Cardinal Peter of Capua transferred part of the relics to Italian city Amalfi. Since 1458, the head of the holy apostle has remained with the relics of his brother, the supreme apostle Peter, in Rome. And the right hand - that is right hand, to which special honor is given, was transferred to Russia.

The Russian Orthodox Church, considering itself the successor to the apostolic ministry of St. Andrew the First-Called, has considered him its patron and helper since the beginning of the conversion of Rus' to Christianity.

The first church in his honor, around which the first convent in Rus' immediately arose, was created already in 1086 in Kyiv by Grand Duke Vsevolod Yaroslavich. He was baptized with the name Andrei.

In those same years, St. Andrew's Church was founded in Novgorod.

Peter I the Great in the 17th century established the main, highest order of the Russian Empire, named St. Andrew's in honor of the First-Called Apostle. It was given as a reward only to the highest officials of the state and protected the queens. In modern Russia it was revived in 1998

Also, since the time of Emperor Peter the Great, the Russian fleet has had the St. Andrew's flag as its banner. To this day, the battle fleet goes to sea under the St. Andrew's flag. Many sailors and men of Russia bear the glorious name of the First-Called Apostle.

On May 27, 1703, creating the Northern capital of the Empire - St. Petersburg, Peter the Great placed a piece of the relics of the Apostle Andrew in the ark at the foundation of the Peter and Paul Fortress, also named in honor of the holy apostles, entrusting the new city to his intercession.

In Russia, revered relics are found in some churches.

In the main temple of the country - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow - there is an ark with relics.

And the greatest shrine - the right hand, the hand to the elbow of the apostle, resides in the Epiphany Cathedral of Yelokhov. It was given by the Patriarch of Constantinople Parthenius back in 1644 as a gift to Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov as gratitude for his help: the tsar bought it from Turkish Sultan Orthodox monastery in Greek Thessaloniki, destined for ruin. The hand of the apostle remained in the Moscow Kremlin, in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and after its transformation into a museum at Soviet power, in honor of the millennium of the Baptism of Rus', was transferred to the Church and left in the Yelokhov Cathedral.

The right hand is in silver ark, which is valuable in itself - it is more than two hundred years old. It is rarely, but transported for worship to Orthodox churches in Russia. It is interesting that previously only priests carried the shrine, clutching the ark to their chests. Since the 2000s, the reliquary has been placed in an additional heavy ark for preservation.

What do they pray to St. Andrew the First-Called?

Remember that you can pray in front of the icon of St. Andrew, like any saint, about anything. Treat the icon not as a talisman, but as a window to the Heavenly world.

Saint Andrew the First-Called is revered as the patron saint of people of all professions related to the sea, because before his apostleship he was a simple fisherman, and even after becoming a disciple of Christ he often caught fish for himself and others for food. In addition, before going to sea, naval personnel and their relatives often gather for a prayer service to St. Apostle Andrew and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for help in the campaign - this tradition was strictly observed by the Russian Empire; St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral was built especially for such prayers in Kronstadt, the base of the Baltic Fleet .

Apostle Andrew also patronizes girls and women seeking happy marriage; parents pray to the saint for their daughter’s chastity and making the right choice her groom.

The icon of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called also helps with prayer to the saint:

• About understanding Orthodox faith and the conversion of your loved ones to the Church;


• About security on the water, on a cruise, on a sea voyage;


• About protecting the country and city from enemy attacks;


• About assistance in translation activities and teaching languages ​​- after all, the apostle, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, spoke all the languages ​​of the world.

Feast of St. Andrew the First-Called

The days of remembrance of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called are December 13, July 13, the day of the Council of all twelve apostles, and June 20, the day of the discovery of the relics. On these days, during the Liturgy, special prayers are read to the Apostle and prayer services are performed.

First-called Apostle of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, follower of the Church, glorified by all Andrey! We glorify and magnify your apostolic works, we joyfully remember your blessed journey to us, to Russia, we glorify your honest sufferings that you endured for the sake of Christ, we kiss your holy relics, we honor your holy memory, we believe that the Lord is alive, and your soul is alive with Him yours, because you have been with him in all centuries and will be with him in Heaven, where you love us all with the same love, when by the grace of the Holy Spirit you hear our appeal to you and to the Lord, and not only do you love all people, but and pray to God for us, seeing all our needs in the light of His grace.
We believe in your help, and we confess our faith both in the temple, and before your holy icon, and before the holy relics resting in Russia; Believing, we pray and ask the Lord God Jesus Christ, our Savior, that through your prayers, which He always listens to and fulfills, He will give us everything we need to save us sinners. Just as you immediately left your nets at the call of the Lord and followed him, without leaving His path, so may each of us not worry about his own, but think about helping his neighbor and about life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Having you as an intercessor and prayer book for us, we believe that your prayer can help us a lot before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who is glorified and honored always in the Holy Trinity with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Glorification - that is, glorification of the apostle in gratitude for his help:

We exalt you, Apostle of Christ Andrew, and honor your illnesses and labors with which you worked for the sake of bringing the good news of the teachings of Christ to people.

May the Lord protect you with the prayers of St. Andrew the Apostle!

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: a great city will be here, the Lord will enlighten this land with holy baptism and will 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 imminent 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 are descended from 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.

Apostle Andrew was born in the picturesque town of Bethsaida, on the shores of Lake Gennesaret. He was a fisherman and brother of the Apostle Peter. The family was not rich, but pious and friendly. When a rumor spread that a prophet had appeared in the Jordan, teaching about the imminent onset of Judgment Times, Andrei was delegated from the whole family to go and see what was happening there. Andrei for some time becomes a disciple of John the Baptist and here he meets Christ.

This story explains to us why Andrei received the name First-Called; he was the first to become a disciple of Jesus. Then Jesus sends Andrew home for the time being, and he returns to his normal duties. Rumors are spreading quickly in the East... Here and there they say that an amazing prophet has appeared in Galilee, who is even greater than John the Baptist. One can imagine how anxiously Andrei’s heart sank at this news. Why doesn't Jesus call him? Changed your mind? Forgot? There is no doubt that Andrei discussed this question many times with his brother, who received from Jesus strange name: Stone.

But here: Passing 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 4:18-19).

The Gospels tell us little about what place Andrew occupied among the other disciples. More is said about Peter, who was the eldest of the Twelve and became the chief apostle, and even about the youngest of them, about young John. All the apostles were brothers to each other, and all were equal. Everyone equally shared shelter and food with Jesus, everyone listened to His parables, and witnessed His miracles. Let us remember just one of them, the very expressive miracle of feeding a huge number of people with five loaves of bread and two fish. People follow Jesus. It’s already evening, everyone is hungry... Jesus orders the people to lie down, and then, taking the loaves and giving thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those reclining, also fish, as much as anyone wanted. A miracle happens. There was enough bread and fish for everyone, everyone was satisfied... This miracle has many facets of meaning, but let’s talk about one thing that lies on the surface: where Christ is, there is no place for need and suffering. This is why He came to save people from troubles, especially since everyone who follows Him can be sure that they will not be left without God’s care and protection.

This story ends very symbolically: And when they were satisfied, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the remaining pieces so that nothing is lost.” And they gathered and filled twelve boxes with pieces of five barley loaves... The twelve boxes here symbolize the Twelve Apostles. The apostles are the ones who will go into the world to introduce people to Christ, to return lost humanity to God.

The Apostle Andrew, along with other disciples, attended the Last Supper, and then, together with everyone else, experienced shock and horror when Jesus was captured and sentenced to death. A painful Friday, Saturday... It seemed that all their hopes had collapsed. But on Sunday night something unexpected happens. The women who went to the Tomb say that the Tomb is empty, Christ is not there. And then meetings with the Risen One begin. And just as the dawn gradually drives away darkness, so darkness, doubts and fears were driven away from the hearts of the apostles. Christ is alive! He conquered death. This means that everything He said was true.

We remember the ancient Christian tradition, according to which the apostles cast lots and, in accordance with this lot, went to preach the Gospel in different countries. Andrei's lot fell to preach in Thrace and Scythia. If this is so, and there is no reason to doubt the evidence that came down from the 3rd century, it means that the Apostle Andrew preached on the shores of the Black Sea. As a result of the analysis of references to Scythia in the works of the poet Ovid (43 BC - 18 AD), almost a contemporary of Andrew the First-Called, it is possible to outline its limits at that time. This country, according to Ovid, occupied the territory north of the Black Sea, stretching from the Caucasus Mountains, Meotida (Sea of ​​Azov) and the Tanais (Don) River to the Gipanis River (Southern Bug) in the west and included the Crimean peninsulas, and in the north limited by the Scythian, or Riphean mountains. According to a number of researchers, the word “Scythians” could have been used by late antique and early Byzantine authors to designate other peoples who lived in the Northern Black Sea region, that is, on the former Scythian lands.

Old Russian legends (“The Tale of Bygone Years” - early 12th century) speak of Apostle Andrew’s visit to the lands on which Kyiv subsequently arose, and even trace the apostle’s path to Novgorod and the northern Russian lands. It is impossible to prove or disprove these legends.

Around the year 70, the Apostle Andrew was given over to a painful death. This happened in the city of Patras. Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross, which has since been called the St. Andrew's Cross.

APOSTLE ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED

The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is the first of twelve preachers whom the Lord chose to bring gospel instructions to the people. Read further in this article about his glorious life, icons, churches erected in his honor, as well as how the memory of the righteous man is honored.

Life

The future holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was born in Galilee, in the city of Bethsaida. Over time, he moved to Capernaum, where he lived there with his brother Simon. Their home was located near Lake Gennesaret. The young man made his living by fishing.

Since childhood, Apostle Andrew was drawn to God. He decided that he would never marry, and became a disciple. While on the Jordan, the prophet pointed out to him a man whom he called the Lamb of God. It was Jesus Christ, whom Andrei immediately followed as his Lord.

The Gospel says that the saint was the first to respond to God’s call, for which he received the name of the First-Called. In addition, he brought Brother Simon to Christ, who soon became It was he who pointed out to Jesus the boy with two fish and five loaves, which soon amazingly multiplied by feeding a large number of people.

Visiting Rus'

Andrew the First-Called witnessed many miracles that Christ performed. The Holy Apostle visited Kyiv mountains, where he planted a cross, saying that God’s grace would shine here and in this place a great city with many beautiful churches would stand. He also came to the Novgorod land, as described in some ancient manuscripts.

In 1030, one of the sons of Prince Yaroslav the Wise received the name Andrei at baptism. After 56 years, he decided to found the Prince named it St. Andrew's. In 1089, the new church was consecrated by Metropolitan Ephraim of Pereyaslavl. This was the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle. Towards the end of the 11th century, another temple was erected in his honor, this time in Novgorod. Much time has passed since then, but the good deeds of St. Andrew the First-Called are still honored and remembered by many people around the world.

Execution

Some recent years Saint Apostle Andrew the First-Called lived his life in Patras. Here, however, as everywhere else he visited, the saint preached the faith of Christ. He managed to create a very impressive Christian community. In the city he performed various miracles, including healing by laying on of hands, and also resurrected the dead.

Around 67, the ruler of Aegeates, who still worshiped pagan gods, ordered the execution of the apostle by crucifixion. Andrew the First-Called believed that he was unworthy to die just like Jesus Christ. Therefore, the cross for his crucifixion had a rather unusual appearance, because it was beveled. Now it is considered one of the most revered symbols in Christendom. The cross in honor of the executed apostle began to be called “Andreevsky”.

Governor Aegeates, who ruled Patras at that time, gave orders not to nail the saint to the cross, but only to tie him in order to prolong his suffering. However, the apostle preached from there for two more days. The people who came to listen to him began to demand an end to the execution. Fearing popular anger, Aegeates ordered the saint to be taken down from the cross. But Andrew the First-Called decided to accept his death here for the sake of Christ.

Like warriors, and then ordinary people, they didn’t try, but they were never able to untie his bonds. According to eyewitnesses, when the preacher was dying, he was illuminated by a bright light.

Now November 30 (December 13) is celebrated as the day of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. According to legend, soon a life-giving spring began to flow at the site of his execution.

Orthodox shrine - St. Andrew's Cross

Ancient written sources and, in particular, the text of Hippolytus of Rome, dated to the 2nd century, directly say that the apostle was crucified in the city of Patras. After the death of the saint, the cross on which he died was placed in a majestic ark, repeating the same X-shaped configuration. To this day, fragments of this shrine are kept in a special icon case at the largest Orthodox Greek cathedral in Patras.

According to church tradition, St. Andrew's Cross was made from an olive tree that once grew in Achaia. After it was discovered in Massalia, scientists conducted whole line scientific research. They found out that the cross actually dates back to the time period when the Apostle Andrew was executed.

Orthodox church in Greece

In honor of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called in 1974, the construction of a majestic cathedral was finally completed in Patras. From the history of the temple it is known that the competition to develop this architectural project was announced back in 1901. 7 years later, by order of King George I, the foundation was laid.

Initially, the construction was led by Anastasios Metaxas, a famous Greek architect, and after his death, the temple of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called continued to be built by Georgios Nomikos.

Beginning in 1910 and for the next 20 years, no work was carried out due to soil instability. The dome was erected in 1934, and already in 1938 construction was frozen again, first because of the war, and then because of the difficult economic situation in Greece. In 1955, the construction of the temple was continued by introducing a special tax for townspeople.

Now the building is the largest Orthodox church in Greece. Next to it stands another temple dedicated to this apostle, the construction of which was completed back in 1843. There is a source not far from it. Presumably, Andrew the First-Called was once crucified at this place.

Return of the shrine to Patras

In 1980, priest Panagiotis Simigiatos visited the place where part of the Cross of the Apostle Andrew had remained for a long time. He decided to return it to the city of Patras, from where the shrine was once taken. The local Metropolitan Nikodim, joining forces with the Roman Catholic Church, achieved the return of the shrine to its historical homeland.

In mid-January 1980, in Patras she was greeted with great honor by thousands of people, led by the clergy and representatives of the city authorities.

Highest award

The Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called was established by decree of Peter I in 1698. Most likely, the tsar was inspired by stories about a preacher who once carried out missionary work in Rus' and died at the hands of the pagans, who crucified him on the cross.

The first award went to Count Fedor Golovin, who received it in 1699. Over the next 100 years, more than 200 people were awarded this order, and over 2 centuries there were already about a thousand of them. Under Emperor Paul I, they began to be awarded to persons with clergy titles, and from 1855 to military personnel for feats of arms.

The Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was abolished in 1917. It was returned only in 1998 by a special decree of Russian President Boris Yeltsin. It is awarded to both its citizens and heads of government of other states for services to Russia.

Meaning of the icon

The face of St. Andrew the First-Called can be found in almost any Orthodox church. On icons he is usually depicted near the Cross. Most often, with one hand he blesses all believers, and in the other he holds a scroll. Sometimes it can be depicted in a different way. On some icons, the holy apostle’s hands are folded across his chest, which speaks of his humility. When Jesus was dying, the apostle was nearby and saw all his torment, but, despite this, he decided to repeat the feat of his mentor, which was to convey the good news to people.

Every day a large number of believers bow before shrines. They pray to the apostle, asking him for health to their family and friends, as well as for assistance in solving problems that have arisen.

Andrew the First-Called is the protector of sailors, fishermen and representatives of other maritime professions. Most of them pray to him before setting sail. In addition, the saint is the patron saint of teachers foreign languages and translators, and parents unmarried girls they ask him for a happy marriage for their daughters. should be like this:

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 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.

Thus we believe and thus we confess this faith in the temple, which in your name, Saint Andrew, was most 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 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 building up 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.

The Akathist to the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called can be heard in Orthodox churches Worldwide. He is the patron saint of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Romania, Sicily, Scotland and Greece.