St. Andrew the First-Called
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(a strong man) (John 1:40) — one of the Twelve Apostles, son of Jonah, and brother of Simon Peter. He was a native of Bethsaida, in Galilee, and was originally a disciple of John the Baptist, whom he left in order to follow the Lord. When he found the Messiah, he immediately sought out his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. From that time they followed Him until His death on the cross. The Gospel events with which the name of the Apostle Andrew is especially connected are mentioned in the following places: Matt. 4:18–20; Mark 13:3; John 1:40; 6:8; 12:22. According to tradition, after the wondrous events of the day of Pentecost, he preached in Scythia and went as far as Kiev, where, on the hills, he planted a cross with the prophetic prediction: “Do you see these hills?
Believe me, the grace of God shall shine forth upon them.” The same tradition says that he ended his life as a martyr in the city of Patras in Achaea, where he was crucified. The year in which he suffered is unknown to us; but the last day of the month of November has always been reckoned, both by Eastern and Western Christians, as the day of his martyrdom.