According to the New Testament, Andrew was born in Galilee, the son of the fisherman Jonah. Before answering the call of Jesus to follow him, Andrew had been a fisherman and a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew’s first missionary work was to bring his brother Simon, the future Peter, to Jesus. Both brothers were baptised and they became missionaries in Asia Minor, Thrace (now Bulgaria) and Scythia (eastern Rumania), and according to Russian chroniclers, Andrew is said to have travelled as far as Kiev and Novgorod.

Andrew’s attribute is the diagonal cross, on which he was executed.

In the Estonian folk calendar, St. Andrew’s Day is on 30 November.