Saint David

 

St. David was born in southwest Wales into an aristocratic family, the royal house of Ceredigion. When he grew up, David joined a Celtic monastery and he would later found the monastic community of Glyn Rhosyn (i.e. The Vale of Roses) in Pembrokeshire. St. David’s Cathedal stands there to this day. David also helped to found 12 other monasteries.

In 1120, Pope Callixtus II canonized David as St. David. His death inn 589 gave rise to this holy day. St. David became recognized as Wales’ national patron saint by the 12th Century.

Over the centuries, St. David’s Day has been celebrated in a fairly solemn manner. Families gather to feast and remember and honor the rich Welsh contribution to the heritage of the United Kingdom. In public, the Welsh and their Welsh-American cousins might wear daffodils and leeks in their lapels. The daffodil, which is called in Welsh, Cenhinen Bedr (i.e. St. Peter’s leek) is the national flower of Wales. It should be noted that the leek (a member of the genus, allium, which includes onions, garlic and chives) is also one the national emblems of Wales.

(From the Bedford Gazette article on this holiday)