Few things are known about the cave of Saint Andrew the Apostle. It was discovered in 1918 by Jean Dinu, a lawyer, who, after dreaming one night, came in this area and found the cave in an advanced state of degradation. After cleaning the vegetation, he built a couple of cells and the first monks came in a short time. The cave was sanctified in 1943 but during the communist period it was destroyed and turned into a shelter for animals. In 1990, with the blessing of the Romanian church, it started to restore the cave and to build the monastery.

The cave shelters the icon of Saint Andrew, known as the apostle who Christianized the lands at the North of the Danube. There is a bed carved in stone in a niche of the pronaos. It is said that it was used as a resting place by Andrew the Apostle. In the course of time this has been a place to light candles, and now it is used by those in need of comfort from disease. Here, the priests also read prayers for sick people and the Mass of Saint Basil the Great.

The monastery has a smaller church built during 1994 – 1995, sanctified with the Holy Virgin’s Protection as its dedication day and the third bigger church was built during 1998 – 2002. In the small church are kept the relics of Saint Andrew. A cross in the shape of “X” can be found, on the left, in front of the altar of the smaller church. In the center of this cross is placed a part of the finger belonging to Saint Andrew. The finger was brought from the Trifiliei Metropolitan Church of Greece. On the four extremities of the cross there are the relics of the martyr saints of Niculitel from Dobrogea: Zoticos, Attalos, Kamasis and Filippos, Epictet the priest and Astion the monk. Near the cave there is a spring about which the legend tells that it appeared after Saint Andrew struck the rock with his staff in search of water. Thousands of pilgrims come each year to the Cave of Saint Andrew and this made this place to be rightfully named the Bethlehem of Romanians.

The Saint Apostle Andrew was the brother of Saint Apostle Peter, both of them being Apostles of Jesus. Before, he and Saint Apostle and Evangelist John were apprentices of Saint John the Baptist. After the Resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles drew the chances on where to go to preach Christianity and Saint Apostle Andrew went to the area of the Black Sea, including Scythia Minor of that time (Dobrogea of today). He secluded in that cave with two apprentices and started to preach. After he went to the region of Kiev and then he returned to Dobrogea. Because all went well he went to the city of Patras in Greece where he was crucified on a cross in the shape of “X”.

The Romanian Orthodox Church says that Saint Andrew preached the Gospel to the Dacians and Romans in the province of Dobrogea (Scythia Minor), whom he is said to have converted to Christianity. Saint Andrew spent 20 years on these territories preaching and teaching and felt very close to the Dacians because they were monotheists. During that period Saint Andrew traveled around the Danube territories and along the coast of the Black Sea, but mostly he was in and around his cave in Dobrogea (located near Ion Corvin village). Saint Andrew’s cave is still kept as a holy place. Later, John Cassian (360-435), Dionysius Exiguus (470-574) and Joannes Maxentius (leader of the so-called Scythian Monks) lived in the same area known as Scythia Minor or Dobrogea, in South East of Romania.

There are many traditions without religious meaning connected to Saint Andrew day on November 30, some of them having their origin on the Roman celebrations of Saturn. The Dacian New Year took place from the 14th of November until the 7th of December and this was the interval when time began its course. One of the elements that came from the Roman and Thracian celebrations was about wolves. During this night of Saint Andrew, the wolves are allowed to eat all the animals they want. It is said that they can speak, too, but anyone that hears them will die soon. Early on Saint Andrew’s day, the mothers go into the garden and pick tree branches, especially from apple trees, pear trees, cherry trees, but also rosebush branches. They make a bunch of branches for each family member. The one whose bunch will bloom by New Year day will be lucky and healthy next year. The best known tradition connected to this night is the one about matrimony and premonitory dreams. Single girls must put under their pillow a branch of basil. If someone takes the plants in their dreams, that means the girl will marry soon. They can also plant wheat in a dish and water it until New Year day. The nicer the wheat looks that day, the better the year to come. All these traditions have no religious meaning, but they are approached during Saint Andrew day.

Early Christian History in Ukraine holds that the apostle Andrew is said to have preached on the southern borders of modern-day Ukraine, along the Black Sea. Legend has it that he travelled up the Dnieper River and reached the future location of Kiev, where he erected a cross on the site where the Saint Andrew’s Church of Kiev currently stands, and prophesied the foundation of a great Christian city, Jerusalem of the Russian/Ukrainian land.

Andrew is the patron saint of Barbados, Scotland, Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Patras in Greece, Amalfi in Italy, Luqa in Malta, and Esgueira in Portugal. He was also the patron saint of Prussia and of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The flag of Scotland (and consequently the Union Flag which also features on the flags of Australia, New Zealand and the arms and flag of Nova Scotia) feature St Andrew’s cross. The cross is also on the flag of Tenerife, the flag of Galicia and the naval jack of Russia. The Confederate flag also features a saltire commonly referred to as a Saint Andrew’s cross, although its designer, William Porcher Miles, said he changed it from an upright cross to a saltire so that it would not be a religious symbol but merely a heraldic device. The Florida and Alabama flags also show that device. Andrew is also the patron saint of the U.S. Army Rangers.

The feast of Andrew is on November 30 in both the Eastern and Western churches, and is the national day of Scotland. In the traditional liturgical books of the Catholic Church, the feast of St. Andrew is the first feast day in the Proper of Saints.

The first Christian worship place in Romania

Saint Andrew’s Cave is one of the most important Christian places in Romania. The cave is considered to be the first Christian cult place and the entering gate for Christianity in Romania.

Dug into an afforested hill, with the entrance orientated eastwards, the cave preserved inside of it a block of stone having on its sides the sign of a cross. According to Christian sources, when he arrived for preaching the Christian tradition, Saint Andrew chose the place for its prayers in the cave dug in the heart of the hill. Legend has it that St. Andrew Christianized the people of these lands in the nine springs near the cave.

Saint Andrew called in the Orthodox tradition Proto kletos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name “Andrew” like other Greek names appears to have been common among the Jews, Christians, and other Hellenized people of the region. He is considered the founder and the first bishop of the Church of Byzantium and is consequently the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Garlic, the magic ingredient that keeps vampires away in the night of Saint Andrew

The Feast of St. Andrew, accompanied with the Feast of St. George and Easter was acknowledged as one of the most feared times of the year in Romania. The Feast of Saint Andrew was in honor of Saint Andrew who was the patron of wolves and donor of garlic. It was on Saint Andrew’s Eve, in certain parts of Romania, that the vampire was believed to be the most active and dangerous, the vampires was also believed to continue their activity throughout the winter and rest at epiphany (January). During these perilous times, it was considered wise to rub garlic on the doors and windows to protect families within the residence from any vampire attacks.

Livestock was also at risk of an attack, so precautions were taken with them as well by rubbing them down with garlic. In the remote villages of Transylvania, people still believe that strigoi (vampires who were never born, but made by other vampires) get out and start a fight. If they do not find other strigoi to fight with, they get angry and hunt a human and suck his/her blood.

The Feast of Saint George was a very important festival in honor of Saint George. Also known as the “Great Martyr,” George was a beloved Saint. Not only was he acknowledged as the patron of England, but many other countries as well. He was also the patron of horses, cattle, wolves, and all enemies of witches and vampires. It was on Saint George’s eve that vampires all the forces of evil were most exquisite. People would remain in their homes with continuous light throughout the night. They placed thorns across thresholds, painted crosses on their doors with tar, put thistles on windows, lit bonfires, and spread garlic everywhere they could. Throughout the night, prayers would be recited repeatedly and naked blades placed beneath their pillows. If the night went well without any occurrences, the saint’s feast was celebrated with much exuberance that day. The thorns and garlic were then replaced by Roses and other flowers.

Bram Stoker, having done his research on vampire lore for his 1897 novel Dracula, included the fear of the villagers on Saint George’s Eve to warn Jonathan Harker that at midnight “all the evil things in the world will have full sway.