St. Andrew's Day

Today is a big day for Scotland & also for Scottish Terrier owners around the world. Today is the Feast of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland; & it’s also one of the two most important national holidays over "across the pond." (The other national holiday is January 28th, celebrated universally as "Robbie Burns Day.") Banks are closed, schools are not in session & many businesses even shut down for the day, too. The day includes big parades & also formal dinners, celebrations & events.

If the pairing of Scotland & St. Andrew seems to be a odd match up, it’s not. Andrew was, of course, one of the original 12 Apostles of the Church & was the brother of the Apostle Peter. When the relics of Andrew’s bones were taken abroad in the 3rd century to be hidden for safekeeping, the ship was blown off course & upon the shores of what is now Scotland. Since the Church had mandated that wherever Andrew’s bones were taken, that place was to be the site of a church & shrine named in his honor, Scotland also made Andrew the Patron Saint of their entire country.

The stereotyped image that the Scottish people have acquired over the centuries is that of their being hard-headed, persistent, and when provoked, ferocious in battle and combat. Most obvious is the stereotype Scots being independent, persistent and stubborn as all get out.

Sound like any particular canine breed NTSR Society members might be very familiar with?