Saint David of Wales was a sixth century priest, Celtic monk, missionary worker, archbishop, and the founder of many monasteries.. He was descended of Welsh nobility. His feast day, March 1, is the national day in Wales. In Wales, he is called "Dewi Sant".
Image retrieved from http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/St-David-Patron-Saint-of-Wales/ and used as being in the public domain.
As is the case with many saints of the early years of the Church, we don't know too much about Saint David of Wales. There are many legends and a few truths that we know about Saint David.
We know that he was the son of King Sant of South Wales and St. Non. We know that he was ordained a priest and that he trained for the priesthood at the Hen Fynyw monastery. We know that he later trained under St. Paulinus (feast day June 22).
We also know that he founded several monasteries, chief among them was the monastery at Menevia, which was in southwestern Wales. This monastery was particularly known for its asceticism. The monks there imbibed in neither beer nor wine, but simply drank water after putting in a rough day of manual labor. The life at Menevia was more like the lives of the hermits in the desert than to monastic life as it was then known throughout much of Europe. While he also founded a monastery at Glastonbury, it is said that Saint David made the monastery at Menevia his seat as a bishop. That monastery continues to exist today and is called the Monastery of Saint David.
We know that Saint David attended a synod at Brevi in Cardiganshire around 550, where his major contributions were monumental to the synod and the advancement of the Faith in Wales. These contributions also led to his being named Primate of the Cambrian Church.
Among the legends are that, while on a trip to Jerusalem, he was reportedly consecrated as an Archbishop by the Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Another legend has it that Saint David invoked a council that dealt the death blows to Pelagianism in Wales, Scotland and England.
Yet another legend has Saint David advising the Welsh soldiers to wear leaks on their helmets so that they could be told apart from enemy soldiers. It is said that this is why the leak is so important to the Welsh that it is part of their national emblem.
It is likewise said that, as a penance, Saint David would stand up to his neck in water and recite scripture, and that milestones in his life were recognized with springs of water.
It is also said that Saint Patrick (feast day March 17) predicted the birth of David around the year 520. It is said that Saint Patrick was born near what is now called David's City. Saint Patrick lived about a century earlier that Saint David, being a fifth century saint.
Saint David died on March 1, 589. He was canonized in 1123 by Pope Callixtus II.
Saint David's Cathedral. Image from Wikipedia.
Flag of Saint David. Image from Wikipedia
Some of the information for this article came from https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/St-David-Patron-Saint-of-Wales/
_______________________________________________________________________________
Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update.
Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop.
Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include:
Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly.
