Prayer:Prayer to St. Andrew
Stored: Prayer to St. Andrew
| Prayer to St. Andrew | |
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| Author | Unknown |
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| Language | English |
| Approval | None |
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| Added on | 2026-08-14 |
Saint Andrew, the Apostle and brother of Saint Peter, holds the singular distinction of being the Protokletos — the "First-Called" among the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Having first been a disciple of Saint John the Baptist, Andrew recognized in Jesus the promised Messiah and immediately followed Him, then brought his own brother Simon Peter to the Lord. His life became a perpetual act of introduction — drawing souls toward the Savior he so ardently loved.
Devotion to Saint Andrew has flourished throughout the universal Church since the earliest Christian centuries, taking deep root particularly in Scotland, Greece, Russia, and throughout the Eastern and Western traditions alike. As the patron of fishermen, missionaries, and all who labor to bring others to the Faith, he is widely invoked by those seeking help in evangelization, courage in bearing hardship, and perseverance in the spiritual life.
The Prayer to Saint Andrew reflects the core of his apostolic witness: his readiness to follow Christ without hesitation, his zeal to bring others to the Lord, and his willing embrace of the cross — for, according to tradition, Andrew was himself martyred upon an X-shaped cross (the Crux Decussata, now known as the Saint Andrew's Cross), reportedly crying out in joy at the sight of the instrument of his death.
The Prayer
O glorious Saint Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God. With your friend Saint John you remained with Jesus for that first day, for all the days of your life, and now for all eternity.
As you led your brother Saint Peter to Christ and many others after him, draw us also to Him. Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for Him and dedication to His service.
Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and to carry our daily crosses without complaint so that they may carry us to God.
Amen.
History and Background
Saint Andrew was born in Bethsaida, a fishing village on the Sea of Galilee, and worked as a fisherman alongside his brother Simon Peter. Scripture records his calling in the Gospel of John (1:35–42) and the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 4:18–20; Mark 1:16–18). He appears in several other pivotal moments in the Gospels, including the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:8–9) and the discourse on the end times (Mark 13:3–4), demonstrating both his practical disposition and his closeness to the inner circle of Our Lord.
Following the Resurrection and Pentecost, ancient tradition holds that Saint Andrew preached the Gospel throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and along the shores of the Black Sea. He is venerated as the founder of the Church of Constantinople (Byzantium), a claim that has given him enormous theological and ecclesiastical significance in the Eastern Christian world. His relics are said to have been translated to Constantinople in the fourth century; further relics were later brought to Amalfi, Italy, and to Patras, Greece, where he is believed to have suffered martyrdom under the Roman proconsul Aegeas circa A.D. 60.
The tradition of praying to Saint Andrew for help in following Christ and bearing one's cross is ancient and universal. The Prayer to Saint Andrew in its present devotional form reflects the spirituality of the Counter-Reformation era, when popular intercessory prayers to individual Apostles were compiled and promoted for the instruction and consolation of the faithful. It draws directly from the scriptural narrative of Andrew's calling and from the hagiographical accounts of his martyrdom, making it simultaneously a meditation on discipleship and an act of confident petition.
The Feast of Saint Andrew on November 30 marks the beginning of the liturgical year in many Eastern Churches and falls at the threshold of Advent in the Roman Rite, lending his commemoration a special character of watchful expectation and readiness — virtues Andrew himself embodied supremely.
How to Pray / Devotional Use
The Prayer to Saint Andrew may be prayed at any time, but it is especially fitting during the following occasions:
- On his Feast Day, November 30, as part of personal or communal devotion to the Apostle.
- During Advent, since his feast day inaugurates that penitential and expectant season; Saint Andrew's intercession is traditionally sought at the start of Advent as a preparation for the coming of Christ.
- Before apostolic work or evangelization, calling upon Andrew's example as the one who first brought others to Jesus.
- In times of suffering or trial, meditating on his joyful embrace of the cross as a source of courage and consolation.
- By fishermen, missionaries, and those in ministry, who invoke him as their heavenly patron and intercessor.
A common devotional practice is to pray this prayer in conjunction with the Novena to St. Andrew, which begins on November 21 and concludes on his feast day. The faithful may also combine this prayer with a reading of John 1:35–42, the Gospel account of Andrew's calling, as a form of Lectio Divina centered on the vocation to follow and to bring others to Christ.
Those who carry heavy burdens — physical illness, spiritual dryness, or persecution — are particularly encouraged to invoke Saint Andrew's intercession, recalling his testimony that the cross, willingly borne in love, is itself the instrument of our salvation and our journey toward God.