St. Andrew's Day

Date

November 30

History

St. Andrew's Day is Scotland's official national day. It commemoratesto honour the memory of something or someone with a ceremony Saint Andrew, the patron sainta saint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayers of Scotland. The New Testament states that Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter. He is considered the founder and first bishop of the Church of Byzantium, an ancientexistent or occurring in time long past, usually in remote ages Greek city. Although most commonly associated with Scotland, Saint Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece and Russia, amongst others. In 2006, the Scottish Parliament designated St. Andrew's Day as an official bank holiday.

Traditional observance

Although it is a bank holiday, banks are not required to close and employers are not required to give their employees the day off as a holiday. St Andrew's Day is an official flag daya flag-related holiday – either a day designated for flying a certain flag (such as a national flag), or a day set aside to celebrate a historical event such as a nation's adoption of its flag in Scotland. The Scottish Government's flag-flying regulations state that the Flag of Scotland (The Saltire) shall fly on all its buildings with a flagpole. The Union Jackthe flag of the United Kingdom is also flown if the building has more than one flagpole.