Saint Andrew’s Day

Saint Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint of Cyprus, Scotland, Greece, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, San Andres Island, Saint Andrew and Tenerife. In Germany, the feast day is celebrated as Andreasnacht Andrew’s Night. Single girls must put a sprig of basil or sweet basil in their matrimony dreams on the night before.

About Saint Andrew’s Day in brief

Summary Saint Andrew's DaySaint Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint of Cyprus, Scotland, Greece, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, San Andres Island, Saint Andrew and Tenerife. In Germany, the feast day is celebrated as Andreasnacht Andrew’s Night, in Austria with the custom of Andreasgebet Andrew’s Prayer, and in Poland as Andrzejki. In Scotland, and many countries with Scottish connections, Saint Andrew’s Day is marked with a celebration of Scottish culture, and with traditional Scottish food and music. The day marks the beginning of the traditional Advent devotion of the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena. The one whose blooms by New Year’s Day will also be lucky and healthy. Single girls must put a sprig of basil or sweet basil in their matrimony dreams on the night before.

If someone takes the right plant in their garden, it is said that they will marry soon. The nicer the wheat looks that day, the better the year will be. If the day falls on a weekend, the next Monday is a bank holiday instead. It has been a national holiday in Romania since 2015. It is an official flag day in Scotland. The flying of the Union Flag from Edinburgh Castle on all days causes anger among some Scottish politicians and members of the Scottish people who have argued that the Saltire should fly on 30 November instead. The best known tradition connected to this night concerns the premonitory dreams of single girls. During this night, wolves are allowed to eat all the animals they want. It is said they can speak, too, but anyone who hears them will soon die.