It has been said that the apostle Andrew's father's name was Jona and his mother's name, Joanna.

Like their father, Andrew and Peter were also fishermen on the Sea of Galilee.  In fact, the apostles Andrew, Peter, James and John were all partners in a fishing business prior to being called by Jesus to follow Him.

Andrew was the first of the Apostles to follow Jesus and just as John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the nation of Israel, so Andrew is noted for having introduced Jesus to individuals. The apostle Peter became the fisher of men in masse where Andrew was a fisher for individuals.

In his latter ministry, it is believed that Andrew went to the foothills of the Caucasus mountains (present day Georgia in Eastern Europe.)  While there, he preached to the Scythians as far as the Caspian Sea.

He also went to Byzantium which is present day Istanbul in Turkey and from there, to Greece.  In fact, he traveled to Thrace and Macedonia, down through the Corinthian Gulf to Patros; it was in Patros that Andrew was martyred.

In the church of St. Andrew in Patros, Greece, there is a book written in Greek which sheds light on his martyrdom.  The following is written: "Aigeatis who was the governor of Patros became enraged at Andrew for his preaching and ordered him to stand before the tribunal in his attempt to do away with the Christian Faith.  When Andrew resisted the tribunal, the governor ordered him crucified.  Andrew remained tied to the cross with thick tight ropes for three days and his last words were: "Accept me, O Christ Jesus, whom I saw, whom I love, and in whom I am; accept my spirit in peace in your eternal realm."

An ancient writer also speaks of the apostle's martyrdom as such: "Andrew hung upon the cross three whole days, suffering dreadful pain but continuing constantly to tell the people around him of the love of Jesus Christ.  The people, as they listened to him, began to believe his words and asked the governor to let him be taken down from the cross.  Not liking to refuse them, he at last ordered the ropes to be cut but when the last rope was severed, the body of the apostle fell to the ground quite dead."

It is believed that Andrew died on the last day of November, 69 AD.