St. David's Day - 1st March  2010

Dewi Sant (Welsh) or Saint David is the Patron Saint of Wales.

• Saint David did exist
   
• He was at the heart of the Welsh church in the 6th Century
   
• He came from an aristocratic family in West Wales
   
• His mother was a saint, Saint Non
   
• His teacher was also a saint, Saint Paulinus
   
• He founded a large monastery in West Wales
   
• He was one of the early Saints who helped to spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of Western Britain
   
• He became Archbishop of Wales, but remained in his community at Menevia (now called St. Davids)
   
• He was active in suppressing the Pelagian heresy
   
• His shrine became a great place of pilgrimage; four visits to the shrine at St. David's was considered the equivalent of two to Rome and one to Jerusalem.

David was born near Capel Non (Non's Chapel) on Wales' south-west coast. Born of royal lineage David's father was Prince of Ceredigion and his mother, Non, was a local Chieftain's daughter. He was educated in a monastery by Paulinus a blind monk and it is rumoured that David cured that blindness by making the sign of the cross. Realising David possessed holy powers, Paulinus sent him away as a missionary to spread the word of Christ.

David's was also known as Dewi Ddyfrwr (David the Water Drinker) because he drank nothing else. He founded 12 monasteries including one at Glyn Rhosyn (Rose Vale) on the River Alun - now the site of the City of St. David. It is said that in one of these monasteries the monks tried to poison him because of his severity towards them and although he was warned he chose to continue the meal but blessed the poisoned bread before eating it - and lived. There are so many stories  surrounding St. David the most famous being at the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi where they were debating whether David should be made Archbishop. Such an enormous crowd had assembled that when David began to speak a shout went up "we won't be able to see or hear him". Suddenly the ground rose up allowing everyone to see and hear David and naturally he became Archbishop.

1st March 589 has been given as the date of David's death and he was buried where the Cathedral now stands in the city of St. David. He was canonised in 1120 when St. David's day started to be celebrated and St. David's became a pilgrimage destination - such was his holiness that it was said that four visits was the equivalent of two to Rome and one to Jerusalem.

Whatever legends say St. David was and remains a key figure in Welsh history. St. David's Day is celebrated throughout Wales by schools, and cultural societies hold special events and church services. It is traditional to wear either a leek or daffodil on your coat lapel and young girls dress up in the national costume consisting of a tall black hat, white frilled cap and long black dress which date back to the 18th century.

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Friday, 10 September, 2010

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