Mar. 1, St. David, Patron of Wales

Today is Dydd G?yl Dewi Sant, the feast of St. David of Wales, a sixth-century monastic founder and bishop. St. David is venerated in the Catholic Church, in the Anglican Communion, and in the Orthodox Church.

It is a day to wear a leek or a daffodil, to eat cawl and drink water.

David was known as the Waterman because he and his monks drank only water, no beer, no wine. And they plowed without oxen. Every man his own ox, was one of St. David's rules.

"The Life of St David, written by Rhgyfarch (Ricemarch) of Llanbadarn in about 1090, is the earliest of the lives of the Welsh 'saints', and further details were provided by Giraldus Cambrensis around 1200 and by the anchorite of Llanddewibrefi in about 1346. . . . It is credible that David was of the royal house of Ceredigion and his emphasis upon hard work, vegetarianism and temperance shows that he belonged to the most ascetic branch of the monastic tradition. It is also likely that in his day he was the most respected leader of the Christians of Wales."



--A History of Wales, by John Davis, Penguin, 2007

Click here for some images of St. David.


This icon shows Dewi Sant with some of his symbols, a leek, daffodils, a crosier, a dove, and water.

Click here for St. David's Day on BBC Radio Wales.

Dydd G?yl Dewi hapus!