SAVING THE SCOTS:

How one day could unite our country: Campaigners calling for St Andrew’s Day to be a public holiday claim it would improve our sense of nationhood. Here, Scotland’s most senior Catholic argues it could also bring together the nation’s many faiths (Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien 11/28/04, Sunday Herald)

In the early centuries of the Christian Church’s history, legend had it that on November 30, 60AD, at Patras in Achaia, Greece, Andrew – son of John and brother of Simon Peter – having been scourged and tied to a diagonal crucifix, suffered what would have been an agonising death. His crime was to have preached the Christian message across that part of the Aegean, which was then under the control of Rome. The fact that his proselytising led to the conversion of the Roman proconsul’s wife sealed his fate.

Legend also has it that, in order to prolong Andrew’s agony, he was tied rather than nailed to the cross, but throughout those days of unimaginable suffering he continued to preach on the life of Christ to all who would listen. On Tuesday , almost 2000 years later, I will rededicate an altar in my own cathedral, St Mary’s in Edinburgh, to the memory of this outstanding apostle. Within the restored altar are two reliquaries containing relics of the saint, and a newly commissioned icon of Andrew will be installed above the altar.

In recent years, following the re-establishment of the Scottish parliament, a campaign has gathered momentum to have November 30 declared a national public holiday. In fact, a bill will be introduced in the Scottish parliament tomorrow attempting to establish St Andrew’s Day as a bank holiday – a move supported by three-quarters of Scots, according to an opinion poll last week.

I believe a public holiday would have the effect of bringing a heightened sense of nationhood to our country, as well as giving recognition to Scotland’s Christian heritage. St Andrew was first adopted as our patron precisely for that purpose, even though he was not a Scot. I am certain that many of those who have found refuge here in Scotland, even those belonging to a different faith community, would respect the significance of the day and happily take part in it as a national holiday. This is an appropriate time to consider such an initiative and – given the mood attending the opening of the new parliament building – it might well succeed.

Perhaps we should see Andrew as a unifying force, not only in Europe and around the world, but also in Scotland. To this end, it is important that we do not politicise our patron. He is for all Scots. We carry his memory collectively, not exclusively. Let no-one claim him as their own, or decry or disown him – we can disagree as to how best to remember him without disputing that he merits remembrance. Let us focus instead on the figure of Andrew as seafarer, fisherman, traveller, missionary and martyr, and in him find a human being of deep conviction around whom we can all unite. St Andrew being an apostle – one of those who had been sent out by Jesus – is an obvious model to us in all denominations in Scotland to reach out to those of other denominations and indeed to those of other faiths.

Within the Christian community, we must constantly remind ourselves of the shared reverence we have for St Andrew which should help us in our journey towards ever closer union. In our relations with other faiths we must hold Andrew up as a man of God whose strength and courage in the face of persecution and godlessness can inspire anyone with faith.

At least the pilot light is still flickering.

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 28, 2004 2:44 PM