PRESS RELEASE #333

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23 November 2004
Who Is Scotland's Patron Saint?
Issued by Rod MacIntosh VP of Communications

WHO IS SCOTLAND'S PATRON SAINT?

FREDERICTON:

St. Andrew's Day is celebrated across the world each year on November 30th and tends to be a very popular day of celebration with Scots who live abroad.

Very little is really known about Saint Andrew himself. He was thought to have been a fisherman in Galilee (now part of Israel), along with his elder brother Simon Peter (Saint Peter). Both became followers (apostles) of Jesus Christ. Tradition suggests that Saint Andrew was put to death by the Romans in Patras, Southern Greece by being pinned to a cross (crucified). The diagonal shape of this cross is said to be the basis for the Cross of Saint Andrew which appears on the Scotland's National Flag.

The Cathedral of Saint Andrews (built in 1160), and Saint Andrews itself became the religious capital of Scotland and a great centre for medieval pilgrimages.

Today, there are many St. Andrew's Societies throughout the world in places where Scots emigrated to over the centuries.

St. Andrew's Day used to be a very popular feast day in Scotland as well. It was a common custom for farm workers and labourers to go "St. Andra'ing". They would catch rabbits and hares and later on in the day would feast and drink. There have been debates on and off for some time now about making St. Andrew's Day a public holiday in Scotland.

Many people wonder what they should eat on St. Andrew's day. Because Andrew was a fisherman, it seems appropriate to eat fish. Otherwise you could eat any traditional Scottish food. It used to be that a singed sheep's head was traditional

New Brunswick Scottish-Cultural Association Inc.
Phone: 1-877-NBSCA-34 (627-2234)
Fax: 506-454-9936
URL: www.nbscots.com

Rod MacIntosh, VP of Communications
New Brunswick Scottish-Cultural Association Inc.
Phone: 1-877-NBSCA-34 (627-2234)
Fax: 506-454-9936
Email: info@nbscots.com