Holidays of Georgia - Remembrance Day of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called

On May 12, solemn services are held in Orthodox churches in Georgia in honor of the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. On this day, Apostle Andrew arrived in Georgia with a sacred mission - to preach Christianity. On the day of the saint's death - December 13 - he is also commemorated in all churches of the country. Andrew the First-Called was engaged in fishing in the Sea of ​​Galilee, but from his youth his thoughts were directed toward serving God. He heard rumors about the preacher John the Baptist on the Jordan River, who was broadcasting about the imminent arrival of the Messiah. Andrew immediately gave up fishing and became a disciple of John the Baptist. When John showed him Christ, Andrei followed the messiah. This is how Jesus' first apostle, his first disciple, was called. From that moment, Andrew the First-Called did not part with Christ. He heard all the speeches of the Savior, observed his deeds, and accompanied Jesus until the last minute of his earthly life. The Apostle Andrew became an eyewitness of the resurrection and ascension into heaven of Christ. When the Holy Spirit miraculously descended on the 12 apostles of Christ in Jerusalem, Andrew the First-Called, overshadowed by a fiery tongue from heaven, felt the gift of a prophet within himself. From now on, his whole life was devoted to converting pagans to the Christian faith. Saint Andrew was subjected to persecution and persecution in countries where he brought the glory of the great deeds of the Lord, but his meekness and faith turned even the martyrdom of the apostle on the cross into a powerful call to the ranks of Christians. The lot fell to the Holy Apostle Andrew to bring the light of faith to Georgia. The population of the country resisted the introduction of Christianity, but many converted to it. Saint Andrew brought with him an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, and with its help he performed many miracles on Georgian soil. In Adjara, when an image was applied to a rock, a healing spring began to flow. In Samtskhe, an ordinary board from being superimposed on an image turned into a miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Apostle Andrew and his comrades built the first Christian churches in Georgia, true believers found priests and the first bishop. Andrew the First-Called is a deeply revered saint in Georgia. Until about the 1500s, he was commemorated in churches monthly. His memorial day, May 12, was declared a holiday in the Georgian Republic at the request of the church.