Andrew is one of the 12 Apostles who followed Jesus during the 3 years he taught, healed and cast out demons before he died on the cross. Andrew was originally a follower of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John. We call Andrew the “First Called” because he left John to follow Jesus after John first said “Behold the Lamb of God” when referring to Jesus. You can read about this in John 1:35 ff. After Jesus died, rose, ascended, and sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Andrew traveled to many countries sharing the gospel (“good news”) about Jesus and His Church. Important for us Byzantines, he traveled to Byzantium and established the church there, and also to Kiev, in modern day Ukraine, where our Rusyn (“Ruthenian”) traditions come from. Andrew was killed on an x-shaped cross in Patras in Greece after leading many of the locals to faith in Christ.
Friday, November 26 –
