On December 13th (November 30th by the old calendar) the Church commemorates Saint Apostle Andrew the First-called.

The holy Apostle Andrew, who was the first among Christ’s twelve closest disciples to be called by Him, came from the town of Bethsaida and was the younger brother of Simon (the future Apostle Peter). Disdaining worldly vanity, Saint Andrew decided to forego marriage; instead, hearing that the holy Forerunner John was preaching repentance at the Jordan River, Andrew went to him and became his disciple. When the holy Forerunner, pointing to Jesus Christ Who was passing by, said: “Behold the Lamb of God,” Andrew, together with another of the Baptist’s disciples, the future Evangelist John the Theologian, left the Forerunner and followed Christ. Later he found his brother Simon (Peter) and said to him: “We have found the Messiah, Who is called Christ,” and brought Peter over to Christ. Afterwards, when Andrew and Peter were fishing on the shores of the sea of Galilee, and Jesus called to them, saying: “Follow Me and I will make you catchers of men,” – Andrew, heeding the Lord’s call, immediately left his fishing nets and followed Christ, together with his brother Peter.

After the Lord’s crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, Saint Andrew, together with the other apostles, received the Holy Spirit, Who descended upon him in a tongue of flame. Later, when the apostles divided among themselves the various countries of the world to which they would spread the Holy Gospel, to Andrew’s lot fell all the countries from Byzantium to the Black Sea and the Danube, and also all the Slavic lands. Passing along the shores of the Black Sea, Saint Andrew preached the Christian faith in all the cities and lands, for which much grief and suffering befell him. Most of all he suffered in the city of Sinope (on the south shore of the Black Sea), where he was dragged along the ground, clobbered with logs, beat with rocks, had his fingers and teeth pulled out; but by the grace of God he became completely well again. Later in Byzantium he ordained Stachius, one of Christ’s 70 disciples, as bishop.

Saint Andrew is particularly close to the Russian heart as the apostle of the Russian land. His apostolic endeavors brought him to the boundaries of the Russian homeland, where he sowed the seeds of faith and piety that produced such an abundant harvest in the future. Passing through Scythia and the Crimean peninsula, by the will of God Saint Andrew reached the Dniepr River and stopped to spend the night in the Kievan mountains. The following morning he said to his disciples:

“Believe me, the grace of God will shine forth in these mountains; a great city will stand here, many churches will arise here, and the Lord will enlighten the entire Russian land with holy baptism.”

Going up into the mountains, the apostle blessed them and erected a cross there, as though foretelling the future conversion of the inhabitants of that land to the faith of Christ. Afterwards, Apostle Andrew passed through various other Russian cities, traveling as far north as the city of Great Novgorod. Saint Andrew reached the end of his apostolic journey in the city of Patras, in Achaia (Greece), where the pagans crucified him on a special cross in the form of an “X,” which subsequently became known as St. Andrew’s cross.

A EULOGY TO THE HOLY APOSTLE ANDREW THE FIRST-CALLED
BY SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOME

Wondrous is the memory of Andrew, dear brethren, and wondrous is the remembrance of the apostolic net which he used to catch and attract various peoples to the Christian faith. Although the fisherman himself has gone away from us, but the fishing implements which he had used will never become old, and the net which he had spread over the world will never be torn by oblivion. He did not use a fishing rod which wears away with time, nor did he lower into the water a fishing line which becomes frayed with age. He did not use a hook which is corroded by rust, nor did he use food for bait. He did not sit on a stone, nor did he sit in a boat which is buffeted by waves, and it was not the mute fish which he caught.

No, dear brethren, for just as his manner of fishing was highly artful, so his implements were new and unusual. For instead of a fishing rod - he uses preaching; instead of the fishing line - he labors earnestly; instead of a hook - he uses the power of grace; instead of bait - there are miracles; instead of a stepping-stone - there are the heavens, from which he produces such an extraordinary catch; instead of a boat - he has the altar; instead of fish - he catches even kings; instead of a fishing net - he spreads the holy Gospel; instead of being master of the sea - he rules men’s lives; instead of nets - he uses the cross.