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誰是蘇格蘭的守護神？
[ 2007-07-13 10:29 ]
圣安德魯（St Andrew）是蘇格蘭的守護神，同時也是希臘、俄羅斯和羅馬尼亞的守護神。作為圣彼得的兄弟和最初的使徒之一，安德魯據說是在希臘的佩特雷（Patras） 被殺害的，他向判處他死刑的羅馬當局請求，不要讓他采用和耶穌一樣的姿勢在十字架上釘死。他的請求得到批準，于是他最終是在X形的十字架上（圣安德魯十字或X形十字）被處死的，所以X形十字后來也就成為了他的象征。
 St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, a task he shares with Greece, Russia and Romania. The brother of St Peter and one of the original Apostles, Andrew was reputedly martyred at Patras in Greece, having petitioned the Roman authorities who had sentenced him to death not to crucify him on the same shape of cross as Christ. His request was granted and Andrew was duly crucified on the x-shaped cross (or saltire) which has subsequently become his symbol.
St Andrew and Scotland
His association with Scotland traditionally stems from either of two legendary sources. Relics of the saint were reputedly brought from Patras to Kinrymont in Fife in the 4th century by St Regulus, following his shipwrecking off the east coast. The church at Kinrymont subsequently became the cathedral of St Andrews and developed into a major centre of medieval pilgrimage. Another version relates that in the 9th century, the Pictish king, Angus mac Fergus adopted St Andrew as patron following the appearance of a saltire in the sky immediately before his victory at Athelstaneford.
Saints and Symbols
Records show that St Andrew was probably the patron of Scotland by the year 1000. In 1286, the Seal of the Guardians of Scotland bore, on the obverse, a representation of St Andrew on his x-shaped cross, with the Latin inscription Andrea Scotis Dux Eesto Compatriotis - 'St Andrew be leader of the compatriot Scots'. In I390, St Andrew was first used as a national symbol on a coin of the realm, a five-shilling piece minted in the reign of Robert III.
St Andrew's Day, 30 November, is not a public holiday in Scotland.
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