St. David's Day
Today is St. David's Day, the patron saint of Wales. But who was St. David and what was his story?
St David (or 'Dewi Sant' in Welsh) was born on the south-west coast of Wales, near the present day city of St Davids. His family was aristocratic. He was educated at a monastery and became a missionary, travelling through Wales and to south-west England and Brittany to spread Christianity. He is also supposed to have visited Rome and Jerusalem.
David founded a monastery where St Davids stands today. He died in 589 and was buried in the grounds of his own monastery. He has been the patron saint of Wales since the 12th century.
His final words to his congregation were "Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us." Today, 'Do the little things' ("Gwnewch y pethau bychain") is quite a popular phrase in Wales, although not everybody knows where it originated.
So to all Welsh people around the world; a very happy St. David's Day!
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