St Andrew's Day today: Who is he, why Scotland celebrates him? Here's all you need to know

St Andrew's Day, also termed "Andermas" or "the Feast of Saint Andrew," is the official national holiday of Scotland and honours the New Testament disciple of Christianity.

This national holiday, which is akin to St. Patrick's Day in Ireland or St. David's Day in Wales, draws Scots and their families together to celebrate Scottish culture through a range of festivities. In fact, Google has acknowledged this occasion with a unique Scottish Google Doodle.

As St. Andrew's Day always comes on November 30, it is falling on a Wednesday in 2022. Scotland honours Andrew the Apostle as its patron saint on this day, and all Scottish government buildings will fly the Saltire flag.

Who is Saint Andrew?

St. Andrew's Day is a yearly event honouring his legacy. According to Christian traditions, Saint Andrew was one of Jesus Christ's 12 followers. According to the Bible, Andrew introduced Jesus to Peter, who is generally regarded as the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

The apostle Andrew, meanwhile, would suffer a horrible end as a martyr for his convictions when the Romans ordered that he be crucified, but he did not think he was "fit" to die in the same way as Jesus.

As a result, on November 30, 60 AD, Andrew was crucified on a diagonal cross, and the X-shaped cross that represents his death is represented by the Saltire flag of Scotland. Upon the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, which references to Saint Andrew as the "gentle Saint Andrew" who would serve as Scotland's "patron forever" – a designation held to this day – in 1320, Saint Andrew was officially acknowledged as the patron saint of Scotland.

How is St Andrew’s Day celebrated?

With parades, traditional music and dance, and Scottish fares like haggis, neeps, and tatties, Scotland commemorate the occasion. The Scottish Sun reports that thousands of pipe bands, spectators, and fire dancers will also be marching through Glasgow's West End during the St. Andrew's Day Torchlight Parade.

The day has special significance in other nations with Scottish ties, such as Barbados, which observes St. Andrew's Day in conjunction with its national day of independence.

FAQs:

1. Is St Andrew’s Day a bank holiday?
   The Scottish Government formally recognised St. Andrew's Day as a bank holiday in 2006, but institutions are free to choose whether or not to be closed on November 30.
2. How many disciples did Jesus Christ have?
   Jesus Christ had 12 disciples.