The New Testament states that Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter. Andrew and his brother Peter were fishermen by trade, hence the tradition that Jesus called them to be his disciples by saying that he will make them "fishers of men".
At the beginning of Jesus' public life, they were said to have all occupied the same house at Capernaum. The Gospel of John states that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, whose testimony first led him, and another unnamed disciple of John the Baptist, to follow Jesus. Andrew at once recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and introduced him to his brother
In the gospels, Andrew is referred to as being present on important occasions as one of the disciples more closely attached to Jesus. Andrew told Jesus about the boy with the loaves and fishes (John 6:8), with Philip when he told Jesus about the Greeks seeking Him, and was of course present at the Last Supper.
Andrew is said to have been martyred by crucifixion at the city of Patras (Patræ), on the northern coast of the Peloponnese. Early texts, such as the Acts of Andrew describe Andrew as bound, not nailed, to a Latin cross of the kind on which Jesus is said to have been crucified. However a tradition has developed that Andrew had been crucified on a cross taking the form called Crux decussata (X-shaped cross, or "saltire"). Today this is commonly known as a "Saint Andrew's Cross" - supposedly at his own request, as he deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had been.
About the middle of the 10th century Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland. Several legends state that the relics of Andrew were brought by divine guidance from Constantinople to the place where the modern town of St Andrews stands today.
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