On the 1st of March each year, St David’s Day is celebrated in Wales, honoring the country’s patron saint. Numerous events take place across Wales to commemorate the significant figure in the Welsh Age of Saints. Known for establishing various religious communities, St David gives his name to the smallest city in Britain. However, much of what is commonly believed about St David is based on the Latin writings of Rhygyfarch, which were penned about 500 years after the saint’s lifetime.
Over the centuries, the image of St David has evolved. Early depictions often portrayed him as a powerful archbishop, although historical evidence suggests this was not the case during his lifetime. In more recent times, St David has been portrayed as a modest, scholarly figure or even as a hermit. Despite this evolution in imagery, there are lingering “facts” about St David that continue to capture people’s imagination.
Legend has it that St David’s mother, Non, gave birth to him during a fierce storm on a cliff-top in Pembrokeshire. A bolt of lightning from heaven is said to have struck the rock at that very moment, splitting it in two. Additionally, St David is believed to have had royal heritage, with his father identified as Sant, the Prince of Powys, and his grandfather founding Ceredigion. Moreover, St David, originally baptized as David, was known locally as Dewidd or Dewi.
Moreover, St David’s impact extended beyond Wales, as he was a renowned preacher who founded monastic settlements and churches in Wales, Brittany, and south-west England. His missionary work even took him to Glastonbury, where he rededicated the abbey
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