The Saltire or St. Andrew's Flag

Legend has it that Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, refused to be crucified on a cross like Jesus, feeling he was not worthy to receive the same treatment as his Lord. So he was crucified upside down on an 'X' cross.

In 370 AD some of Andrew's remains were stolen from Constantinople by St. Rule and taken to the "ends of the earth" for safekeeping. He buried them in a Pictish settlement on the east coast of Scotland. This settlement became known as St. Andrews.

In 832 AD, the Picts, under Angus MacFergus, were fighting the Northumbrians of England. Legend says an "X" cross appeared in the sky, encouraging the Picts and scaring the Northumbrians away.

On the Saltire flag, the field is blue with a white "X" cross. The azure blue symbolizes the sky; the white is St. Andrew's cross. The King, Angus MacFergus, adopted this symbol as a national emblem.

From that time onward, the Saltire, or St. Andrew's flag, has been the national flag of the Scots. It was also worn on the tunics and bonnets of Scottish soldiers as a way to identify one another on the battlefield.

Today the Saltire is believed to be the oldest national flag still in use.