Andrew, the first disciple, and one of the apostles of Jesus. His career after the Master's death is unknown. Tradition tells us that, after preaching the gospel in Scythia, Northern Greece, and Epirus, he suffered martyrdom on the cross at Patrae in Achaia, 62 or 70 A.D. The anniversary of St Andrew falls on November 30. About 740 St Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland (see the article ST ANDREWS); and he is held in great veneration in Russia, as the apostle who, according to tradition, first preached the gospel in that country.
CROSS OF ST ANDREW.—A white saltire on a blue ground, to represent the x-shaped cross on which the patron saint of Scotland suffered martyrdom, has been from an early date adopted as the national banner of Scotland. It is combined with the crosses of St George and St Patrick in the Union Jack (q.v.). The Scottish Order of the Thistle (q.v.) is sometimes known as the Order of St Andrew.
THE RUSSIAN ORDER OF ST ANDREW is the highest in the empire, and was founded by Peter the Great in 1698. It has but one class, and is confined to members of the imperial family, princes, and persons of the rank of general who already hold two other important orders. The badge of the order shows on the obverse the double-headed eagle, crowned, on which is a St Andrew's Cross enamelled in blue, with a figure of the saint.