Look to the heavens for help

Tioday, as happens every few years, the first Sunday in Advent coincides with St Andrews Day. Andrew is quite a busy saint

• patron saint of Scotland, Greece, Russia, Romania, Amalfi, Malta and Sicily

• unmarried ladies or maidens, fishermen, fishmongers, mariners, Army Rangers, rope makers, singers and performers.

Heard a lovely legend today of how Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland

Around 800AD King Angus of the Picts, facing a larger army of Saxons at Athelstaneford in what is now part of Scotland, was likely to be conquered. He prayed and looked for a sign of victory. Legend says he was overwhelmed by a blinding light the night before the battle and, during the night, had a dream. The message he was given was that he would see a Cross in the sky and would conquer his enemies in its name.

The following morning King Angus looked into the rising sun and saw the Saltire Cross in its blinding light. This filled him and his men with great confidence and they were victorious. From that time Saint Andrew and his Saltire Cross were adopted as the national symbols for an emerging Scotland.

Had not Angus the Pict seen the St Andrews cross in the sky we would have had an English heritage!