St Andrew's Day, also popularly known as Feast of Saint Andrew or Andermas, is celebrated annually on November 30 in several European companies. The annual event honours Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, Romania, Greece, and several other countries. It is the feast day of Andrew the Apostle and is a national day in Scotland, while it has been a national holiday in Romania since 2015, thus signifying its cultural and historical importance. November 2024 Festivals, Events and Holidays Calendar: Complete List of Important National and International Days and Dates. 

Saint Andrew is the disciple in the New Testament who introduced his brother, the Apostle Peter, to Jesus, the Messiah. He is the patron saint of Cyprus, Scotland, Greece (City of Patras), Romania, Russia, Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, San Andres Island (Colombia), Saint Andrew (Barbados) and Tenerife (Spain). In this article, let’s know more about St Andrew's Day 2024 date and the significance of this day.

St Andrew's Day 2024 Date

St Andrew's Day 2024 falls on Saturday, November 30.

St Andrew's Day History

St Andrew was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ and is believed to have been crucified on an X-shaped cross, which inspired the design of Scotland's flag, the Saltire. Scotland: He became the patron saint of Scotland due to a legend that his relics were brought to the town now called St Andrews. He symbolizes Scottish independence and pride. The celebration of Saint Andrew as a national festival among some social strata and locales is thought to originate from the reign of Malcolm III (1058–1093). It was thought that the ritual slaughter of animals associated with Samhain was moved to this date to ensure enough animals were kept alive for winter.

St Andrew's Day Significance

Saint Andrew's Day is an important event as it marks the beginning of the traditional Advent devotion of the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena. On this day, festivities include traditional Scottish music, ceilidh dancing, and feasting on Scottish delicacies like haggis, neeps, and tatties. In countries where St. Andrew is considered as a idol, people attend church services or host community events. The day is marked with a celebration of Scottish culture and traditional Scottish food and music. In Scotland, the day is also seen as the start of a season of Scottish winter festivals encompassing Saint Andrew's Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 22, 2024 12:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).