The Feast of St Andrew

Title: Crucifixion of Saint Andrew

Artist: Peter Howson

Medium: Oil on canvas

Size: tbd

Date: 2007

Location: City Art Centre, Edinburgh.

St. Andrew, the Apostle, son of Jonah, was born in Bethsaida of Galilee. He was brother of Simon Peter, and both were fishermen who, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, occupied the same house at Capernaum. Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History quoted Origen as saying that Andrew preached in Scythia, while the later Chronicle of Nestor adds that he preached along the Black Sea and the Dnieper River as far as Kiev, and on to Novgorod. He was crucified by order of the Roman Governor Aegeas, at Patrae in Achaia, on November 30, A.D. 60.

According to the Gospel of John 1:35-42, it was St. Andrew who was the first named disciple called by Jesus. In keeping with his role as “the first”, the feast of St. Andrew marks the beginning of a new liturgical year with the start of Advent the Sunday that falls nearest to St. Andrew’s feast day of November 30th.  Beginning today the Christmas Anticipatory Prayer, also known as the "Novena to St. Andrew" is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This meditative prayer is to help prepare oneself spiritually, and increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas.

Peter Howson (b. 1958) is a London born Scottish painter. In 2005 he was approached by the City Art Centre (Edinburgh) with a proposal to complete a painting on the theme of Scotland’s patron Saint. This meeting led to the following exhibition, “Andrew: Portrait of a Saint”. In preparation, the artist travelled to Israel in order to immerse himself in the region where Andrew had lived. The resulting representation of the Saint’s crucifixion has been described as “monumental” and as having reenergized the traditional portrait of Andrew. With an expression of suffering painstakingly etched across the Saint’s face, Peter has visually depicted the strength and endurance of Scotland’s patron Saint, and added a new sense of life to this ecclesial hero. More of Peter’s work can be seen on his website https://peterhowson.co.uk