Feast of St. Andrew

St. Andrew, born in the Galilean village of Bethsaida, was originally a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew then became the first of Jesus’ disciples (John 1:35-40). That is the reason that his feast day is the first on the Church’s calendar. Indeed, St. Andrew’s Day determines the beginning of the Western Church Year, since the First Sunday in Advent is always the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day (November 30).

It was he who first introduced his brother Simon to Jesus (John 1:41-42). He was, in a real sense, the first home missionary, as well as the first foreign missionary (John 12:20-22).