Saint Andrew’s cross

7. Saint Andrew’s cross.

The Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian[26] denomination, is the official state church. The Roman Catholic church is second in importance. Other leading denominations are the Episcopal Church in Scotland, Congregationalist, Baptist, Methodist, and Unitarian. Jews are a small minority.

St. Andrew’s cross is the national flag of Scotland. It consists of two diagonal white stripes crossing on a blue background. The flag forms part of the British national flag (Union Jack).

The flag of Presbyterian Church differs a little bit from that of Scotland. It is also St. Andrew’s cross but with a little addition: it has a burning bush centered, which signifies presbyterianism.

The symbol comes from the motto of the Presbyterian Church, nec tamen consumebatur (neither was it consumed) referring the bush that burnt, but was not consumed, so will be the church that will last for ever.

St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. He was a New Testament apostle who was martyred on an X-shaped cross. He was said to have given the Pictish army a vision of this cross at the battle of Athenstoneford between King Angus of the Picts and King Authelstan of the Angles. St. Andrew was foisted upon Scotland as its patron when the old Celtic and Culdee centres were superseded by the new bishopric of St. Andrew’s. His feast-day is 30 November. On this day some Scotsmen wear a thistle[27] in the buttonhole.

One of the greatest treasures of Huntly House Museum (Edinburgh) is the national Covenant, signed by Scotland’s Presbyterian leadership in 1638. Covenanters are 17^th-century Scottish Presbyterians who bound themselves by covenants to maintain Presbyterianism as the sole religion of Scotland and helped to establish the supremacy of Parliament over the monarch in Scotland and England. Early covenants supporting Protestantism were signed in 1557 and in 1581. In 1638 the covenant of 1581 was revived, and its signatories added a vow to establish Presbyterianism as the state religion of Scotland.

II.Scotland for every season.

 

If you hunt for the real Scotland, there will be many times when you know you have found it: when you hear your first Highland Piper with the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle; on some late, late evening on a far northern beach as the sun sets into a midsummer sea; or with your first taste of a malt whisky, peat-smoked and tangy; or when you sit in a café with the real Scots. By the way, the Scots are very sociable people. They like to spend their free time together, drinking coffee or scotch and talking. Scottish people are fond of singing at the national music festivals in chorus, at the fairs and in the parks. Most of Scotsmen are optimists. They don’t lose their heart and smile in spite of all difficulties.

The real Scotland is not found in a single moment – nor is it contained in a single season. Though the moorlands turn purple in summer, Scotland in spring is famed for its clear light and distant horizons, while autumn’s colours transform the woodlands… and what could be more picturesque than snow-capped hills seen from the warmth of your hotel room?

Scenery, history, hospitality, humour, climate, traditions are offered throughout the year.

Even if you can feel it now you should visit Scotland all the same, and see and enjoy this magic country with your own eyes!

Appendices

Scotland: its early peoples.

The chronology of the main events in the history of Scotland.

1^st century Picts prevented Romans from penetrating far into Scotland.

5^th – 6^th centuries Christianity was introduced into Scotland from Ireland.

9^th century Kenneth MacAlpin united kingdoms of Scotland.

1263                                       Haakon, King of Norway, was defeated by Scots at Battle of Largs.

1292 – 1306 English domination:

in 1292 – 1296 Scotland was ruled by John Baliol;

in 1296 – 1306 Scotland was annexedto England.

1314                                       Robert Bruce defeated English at Bannockburn.

1328   England recognized Scottish independence.

1603   James VI became James I of England.

1638   Scottish rebellion against England.

1651   Cromwell conquered Scotland.

1689   Jacobites were defeated at Killiecrankie.

1707 Act of Union with England.

1715, 1745 Failed Jacobites risings against Britain.

1945                                       First Scottish nationalist member of British Parliament was elected

Practical part:

1.   Who in Scotland consider themselves of purer Celtic blood?

2.   When was a new Scottish Parliament elected?

3.   What was the Beaker civilization famous for?

4.   Why was it so difficult to control the Highlands and islands?

5.   To whom does Scotland owe its clan system?

6.   Why did Edward I stole the Stone of Destiny?

7.   What do the words written on Edward’s grave mean?

8.   Can you explain the name of Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh?

9.   What giant thing can Edinburgh Castle boast?

10.       What did the Military Tattoo originally mean?

11.       Who brought St. Giles’ Cathedral into great prominence?

12.       What is the emblem of Scotland? Where can it be seen?

13.       Why are the Royal Museum and the Museum of Scotland worth visiting?

14.       Which museum in Scotland is the “noisiest” in the world? Why?

15.       Why do they call Edinburgh “the Athens of the North”?

16.       What is Edinburgh’s answer to London’s Oxford Street?

17.       Where did the national Scottish dress come from?

18.       Why was it so important to decorate wool differently?

19.       What is the real origin of the bagpipe?

20.       What does the motto of the Presbyterian Church mean?

Literature

1.   “Discovering Britain” Pavlozky V. M., St Petersburg, 2000.

2.   “Britain in brief” Oshepkova V. V., Shustilova I. I., Moscow, 1997.

3.   “Across England to Scotland” Markova N. N., Moscow, 1971.

4.   “Pages of Britain’s history” Kaufman K. I., Kaufman M. U., Obninsk,

1998.

5.   “An illustrated history of Britain” McDowall D., Edinburgh, 1996.

6.   “Robert Burns country” Swinglehurst E., Edinburgh, 1996.

7.   “English for intermediate level” Part I, Moscow, 1995.

8.   “Welcome to Edinburgh”, guide-book 1998/99.

[1] In Scottish “loch”means “lake”.

[2] Beaker civilization – prehistoric people thought to have been of Iberian origin, who spread out over Europe from the 3^rd millennium BC. They were skilled in metalworking, and are identified by their use of distinctive earthenware drinking vessels with various design.

[3] “Highland Line” – the division between highland and lowland

[4] Everybody in the clan had the same family name, like MacDonald or MacGregor (mac means “son of”). The clan had its own territory and was ruled by a chieftain.

[5] so they called the Saxons (and still call the English)

[6] Act of Union – 1707 act of Parliament that brought about the union of England and Scotland

[7] Calton Hill – overlooks Central Edinburgh from the east.

[8] Arthur’s Seat – hill of volcanic origin to the east of the centre of Edinburgh. It forms the core of Holyrood Park and is a dominant landmark: Castlehill is the rock of volcanic origin on which Edinburgh Castle is situated.

[9] Edwin (c585 – 633) – king of Nothumbria from 617. He captured and fortified Edinburgh, which was named after him.

[10] St. Margaret ( c1045 – 1093 ) – Queen of Scotland. She was canonized in 1251 in recognition of her benefactions to the church.

[11] Tattoo – the word derives from the Dutch word “tap-toe”, which means “turn off the taps”.

[12] Knox, John (1513 (1514) – 1572) – Scottish reformer, founder of the Church of Scotland

[13] The Order of the Thistle – Scotland’s highest order

[14] Declaration of Arbroath – Declaration 26 April 1320 by Scottish nobles to their loyalty to King Robert I and of Scotland’s identity as a kingdom independent of England.

[15] Edinburgh Festival has annually been held since 1947. It takes place from August to September and includes music, drama, opera and art exhibition.

[16] Jenners – the oldest independent department store in the world.

[17] Heriot, Jeorge (1563 – 1624) – Scottish goldsmith and philanthropist; Watt, James (1736 – 1819) – Scottish engineer who developed the steam engine in 1760.

[18] Napier, John (1550 – 1617) – Scottish mathematician who invented logarithms in 1614.

[19] Tartan – it is traditional Scottish drawing which consists of wide and narrow cross stripes of different colour and size; the softest wool of vivid colouring.

[20] Falkirk – unitary authority, Scotland, 37 kilometres west of Edinburgh.

[21] Tossing the caber – Scottish athletic sport. The caber (a tapered tree trunk about 6 metres long, weighing about 100 kilograms) is held in the palms of the cupped hands and rests on the shoulder. The thrower runs forward and tosses the caber, rotating it through 180 degrees so that it lands on its opposite end and falls forward. The best competitors toss the caber about 12 metres.

[22] Great Glen – valley in Scotland following coast-to-coast geological fault line, which stretches over 100 kilometres south-west from Inverness on the North Sea to Fort William on the Atlantic coast.

[23] Pentland Firth – channel separated the Orkney Islands from the northern mainland of Scotland.

[24] RAF – Royal Air Force, the British airforce.

[25] NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a US government organization that controls space travel and the scientific study of space.

[26] Presbyterianism – a religion close to Protestantism

[27] Thistle is also the emblem of the whole Scotland.