[MR] St. Andrews Day

[Groff, Garth (ggg9y)]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots:

Today, 30 November, is St. Andrew's Day. This is one of Scotland's important patriotic holidays. St. Andrew has been the patron saint of Scotland since the 9th century when a miraculous white saltir cross (St. Andrew was supposedly crucified on an X-shaped cross) appeared in the sky during a battle between the combined Scots and Pictish army under Angus II and the Angles led by Aethelstan. The cross so inspired the Scots/Picts to defeat the Angles.

The saltire flag of Scotland features the large X-shaped cross on a blue field. The saltire was been an identification mark for Scots in battle since at least 1385. As a flag, the saltire probably dates to the 15th century, though it wasn't officially adopted until about 1540.