Why do we celebrate St David’s Day?

What Do People Do?

St David is the patron saint of Wales. March 1 is a day of celebration of both St David’s life and of the Welsh culture in Wales and in countries such as Canada and the United States. Many people attend special church services, parades, choral recitals or Welsh literature readings. Schools plan celebrations, often involving choirs, on the day.

The Welsh flag, a red dragon on a white and green background, is displayed prominently and a festive mood prevails. Children, particularly girls, and some adults wear traditional costume. Other people may pin a daffodil or a leek to their clothes as these are symbols of Wales. The traditional meal on St David's Day is cawl. This is a soup that is made of leek and other locally grown produce.

Public Life

St David's Day is not a public holiday in the United Kingdom or countries such as Canada and the United States. Therefore government offices, schools, post offices and businesses are open.

However, it is a day of celebration so many schools, institutions and even businesses will have a special program for the day. Some villages and towns hold special parades so there may be some local disruption to traffic or public transport.

Background

St David plays a very important role in Welsh culture but little is known about his life. It is believed that he lived to be 100 years old and that he died in 589, but the first texts on his life only appeared around five hundred years after his death. This means that it is difficult to tell which aspects of the St David’s story are true and which are legend. He was supposed to have been very gentle and physically strong and tall despite eating a frugal diet. His parents were Sant, the grandson of a prince of Ceredigion in south-west Wales, and Non, a niece of the legendary King Arthur.

St David travelled widely throughout Wales, Cornwall in the south-west of England, Brittany in France and possibly to Ireland and Jerusalem. He founded several churches and a monastery in Wales and eventually became an archbishop. St David was canonized in 1120 and March 1 was included in the church calendar as St David's Day. People started making pilgrimages to St David’s monastery after he was canonized. A cathedral still stands on its original site.

Symbols

The Welsh flag, which features a red dragon on a white and green background, is often seen around the date of St David’s Day. Many people also pin a daffodil or a leek to their clothes as symbols of Wales.

St. David's Day in 2021

The National Day of Wales is St. David's Day and is always observed on March 1st, the traditional date of his death in 589 AD.

Who was St. David?

Saint David (known as Dewi Sant in the Welsh language) was a Celtic monk born towards the end of the fifth century and was Archbishop of Wales. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales, founding 11 churches across Wales and Brittany. His influence is shown by the number of churches dedicated to him in Wales.

It is always observed on March 1st, as the tradition is that he died on that day in 589 AD, though the tradition also says that he lived for over a 100 years, which would have been a mightily impressive age to get to in the 6th century.

While not recognised as the national day of Wales until the 18th Century, the feast of St David dates back to 1120 AD, when David was canonised by Pope Callactus II. St David was recognised by some as the national patron saint during the period of Welsh resistance to the Normans.

St. David has had a few minor miracles associated with him, but the most famous story concerns the large crowd who had gathered at the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi to witness the decision to make David an Archbishop. When David got up to speak, someone complained that due to the crowd, they wouldn't be able to hear him speak. At that point, the ground itself rose up, placing David above the crowd, so that everyone there could see and hear him. Needless to say, after that astonishing feat, the decision to make David an Archbishop was taken.

Though in popular culture, St. David's Day generally celebrates Wales rather than the Saint, it remains at heart a religious holiday. It is therefore worth noting that if March 1st falls on a Sunday, the Church of Wales observes his feast day on March 2nd.

Is St. David's Day a public holiday?

In 2000, the National Assembly for Wales voted unanimously to make St. David's Day a public holiday and public support in Wales has remained strong. Despite this, all moves so far to make St. David's Day a bank holiday has been rejected by the British Government.

In 2007, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, rejected calls for it to become a public holiday, despite a poll at the time showing that 87% of Welsh people were in favour.

This has resulted in the situation, within the United Kingdom, were Scotland and Northern Ireland have public holidays for their patron saints, but England and Wales don't.

Every year parades are held in Wales to commemorate St. David. The largest of these is held in Cardiff.

On St. David's day, Welsh people may wear one or both of the national emblems of Wales on their lapel - the daffodil or the leek on this day. The tradition of wearing a leek is said to have arisen when a unit of Welsh soldiers were able to distinguish each other from troops of similarly attired English enemy soldiers by wearing leeks.

The Daffodil flowers early in the year and makes it a fitting emblem for St. David as it is full bloom by March 1st.

On March 1st the Empire State Building will be floodlit in the national colours of Wales - red, green and white.

St. David's Day – March 1, 2021

There’s nothing more Welsh than St. David’s Day, the feast and celebration that falls on March 1 and commemorates the patron saint of Wales, Saint David — the greatest figure in the 6th century, Welsh Age of Saints, founder of scores of religious communities, and the only native-born patron saint of the countries of Britain and Ireland. St. David, a famous teacher and the founder of what is today St. David’s Cathedral, was famed for his pious austerity, his commitment to eschew sensual pleasures in favor of spiritual enlightenment, and his ability to perform miracles. Because of his life and works, St David’s Day is widely popular amongst the Welsh. Today, the holiday is as much a celebration of Wales as it is of her patron saint. Children participate in recitation and singing, parades line the streets, the flag of Saint David is raised, and some girls wear traditional Welsh clothing.

HISTORY OF ST. DAVID'S DAY

St David’s Day has been celebrated since the year 1120 and is a huge celebration for the Welsh. Who is St David? St David was the greatest figure in the 6th century Welsh Age of Saints, founder of scores of religious communities, and the only native-born patron saint of the countries of Britain and Ireland.

Most of what we know about St David was written by the 11th-century scholar Rhygyfarch. He tells us that St David was born in Pembrokeshire around the year 500, the grandson of Ceredig ap Cunedda, king of Ceredigion. He became a renowned preacher, founding monastic settlements and churches in Wales, Brittany, and England – including, possibly, the abbey at Glastonbury. In 550 A.D., fellow monks elected him primate of the region of Brefi, after he gave a compelling speech at the Synod of Brefi. In 569 A.D., David presided over the Synod of Caerleon.

He’s said to have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he became an archbishop and established a strict religious community in what is now St Davids in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. He was famed for his pious austerity, as he is believed to have lived on only leeks and water. His monks only prayed, ate, and wrote in the evenings, and plowed fields themselves without the help of animals. He eschewed personal possessions — the monks could not even say ‘my’ when referring to something as simple as a book.

Many people claimed that St David was able to perform miracles. One of the more famous miracles associated with him is that once while preaching at Llandewi Brefi, he caused the ground to rise beneath his feet so that everyone could hear his sermon. During the incident, a white dove is said to have landed on his shoulder, as he is so often depicted now. Other miracles are believed to be St David resurrecting a dead child and restoring sight to a blind man.

St David died on 1 March – St David’s Day – in 589. He was buried at St. David’s Cathedral. After the Vikings raided his tomb in the 10th and 11th centuries, it was given a new shrine in 1275. The bones of the person who was supposedly St. David were discovered in the Holy Trinity Chapel of Saint David’s Cathedral and carbon-dated back to the 12th century. He was canonized by Pope Callixtus in the 12th century, and St David’s Day has been celebrated ever since. His shrine at St. David’s became a notable place of pilgrimage, especially during the Middle Ages.

There have been over 50 churches dedicated to him in pre-Reformation days. He was also canonized by the Eastern Orthodox church. St. David’s day has long been a celebration of the saint of Wales and, in 2000, the National Assembly for Wales voted cross-party to recognize St. David’s Day as a public holiday. Traditional festivities include wearing daffodils and leeks, recognized symbols of Wales and Saint David respectively, eating traditional Welsh food including cawl and Welsh rarebit, and women wearing traditional Welsh dress. An increasing number of cities and towns across Wales including Cardiff, Swansea, and Aberystwyth also put on parades throughout the day.

ST. DAVID'S DAY TIMELINE

462-515 A.D.

The Birth of a Saint

St David, Dewi Sant in Welsh, is born on the south-west coast of Wales, near to where the city of St Davids is today.

560 A.D.

Building a Monastery

St David is said to have founded a monastery close to the place where he was born.

569 A.D.

Monks Elect David

David presides over the Synod of Caerleon, also called the Synod of Victory.

March 1, 589 A.D.

The Passing of a Great Man

After living for, apparently, more than 100 years, St David passes away on Tuesday, March 1, 589 after giving his final sermon the day before.

1120 A.D.

St David’s Day Becomes Official

St David is canonized by Pope Callixtus II, becoming the national patron saint of Wales, and March 1 is officially included in the church calendar as St David’s Day.

2000

A Public Holiday

With cross-party support in the National Assembly for Wales, St. David’s Day officially becomes a public holiday.

ST. DAVID'S DAY FAQS

What is St David known for?

St David became a renowned preacher, founding monastic settlements and churches in Wales, Brittany and southwest England – including, possibly, the abbey at Glastonbury.

Visit Wales

Several Wales’s heritage sites are open for free on St David’s Day, as part of St David’s Day celebrations – including St Davids Bishop’s Palace. This includes Caerphilly Castle, with its iconic leaning tower and St Davids Bishop’s Palace — located near St Davids Cathedral, where Wales’s patron Saint, Dewi Sant, founded his monastery. There is also a national parade each year. From military parades to concerts and food festivals, there is no shortage of celebration of St. David’s Day in Wales — particularly in Cardiff. If that’s out of range, try to find a celebration near you! Even Washington D.C. and Los Angeles hold events for the Welsh holiday to honor Welsh culture.

Wear a costume

People typically celebrate St David's Day by wearing a daffodil, the national symbol of Wales, or a leek, St David's symbol. In Wales, people, particularly children, wear traditional Welsh costumes. Girls wear a petticoat and overcoat, made of Welsh flannel, and a tall hat, worn over a frilled bonnet.

Eat Welsh food

Go on a search for Welsh cakes and Bara Brith. If you can’t find a Welsh restaurant, it doesn’t matter. Cook up some ‘cawl,’ Welsh rarebit, ‘laverbread,’ or ‘Glamorgan sausage’ to celebrate traditional Welsh cuisine!

WHY WE LOVE ST. DAVID’S DAY

He practiced discipline

One of the many lessons that can be learned from David’s life is discipline. St David and his monks plowed fields by hand and didn't eat meat. It is also believed that St David himself only ate leeks and drank water. Even if we don’t go to those measures, St David’s great discipline and restraint is certainly something to be admired and implemented in our lives in little ways.

Observe

What Do People Do?

St David is the patron saint of Wales. March 1 is a day of celebration of both St David’s life and of the Welsh culture in Wales and in countries such as Canada and the United States. Many people attend special church services, parades, choral recitals or Welsh literature readings. Schools plan celebrations, often involving choirs, on the day.

The Welsh flag, a red dragon on a white and green background, is displayed prominently and a festive mood prevails. Children, particularly girls, and some adults wear traditional costume. Other people may pin a daffodil or a leek to their clothes as these are symbols of Wales. The traditional meal on St David's Day is cawl. This is a soup that is made of leek and other locally grown produce.

Public Life

St David's Day is not a public holiday in the United Kingdom or countries such as Canada and the United States. Therefore government offices, schools, post offices and businesses are open.

However, it is a day of celebration so many schools, institutions and even businesses will have a special program for the day. Some villages and towns hold special parades so there may be some local disruption to traffic or public transport.

Background

St David plays a very important role in Welsh culture but little is known about his life. It is believed that he lived to be 100 years old and that he died in 589, but the first texts on his life only appeared around five hundred years after his death. This means that it is difficult to tell which aspects of the St David’s story are true and which are legend. He was supposed to have been very gentle and physically strong and tall despite eating a frugal diet. His parents were Sant, the grandson of a prince of Ceredigion in south-west Wales, and Non, a niece of the legendary King Arthur.

St David travelled widely throughout Wales, Cornwall in the south-west of England, Brittany in France and possibly to Ireland and Jerusalem. He founded several churches and a monastery in Wales and eventually became an archbishop. St David was canonized in 1120 and March 1 was included in the church calendar as St David's Day. People started making pilgrimages to St David’s monastery after he was canonized. A cathedral still stands on its original site.

Symbols

The Welsh flag, which features a red dragon on a white and green background, is often seen around the date of St David’s Day. Many people also pin a daffodil or a leek to their clothes as symbols of Wales.

St. David's Day in 2021

The National Day of Wales is St. David's Day and is always observed on March 1st, the traditional date of his death in 589 AD.

Who was St. David?

Saint David (known as Dewi Sant in the Welsh language) was a Celtic monk born towards the end of the fifth century and was Archbishop of Wales. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales, founding 11 churches across Wales and Brittany. His influence is shown by the number of churches dedicated to him in Wales.

It is always observed on March 1st, as the tradition is that he died on that day in 589 AD, though the tradition also says that he lived for over a 100 years, which would have been a mightily impressive age to get to in the 6th century.

While not recognised as the national day of Wales until the 18th Century, the feast of St David dates back to 1120 AD, when David was canonised by Pope Callactus II. St David was recognised by some as the national patron saint during the period of Welsh resistance to the Normans.

St. David has had a few minor miracles associated with him, but the most famous story concerns the large crowd who had gathered at the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi to witness the decision to make David an Archbishop. When David got up to speak, someone complained that due to the crowd, they wouldn't be able to hear him speak. At that point, the ground itself rose up, placing David above the crowd, so that everyone there could see and hear him. Needless to say, after that astonishing feat, the decision to make David an Archbishop was taken.

Though in popular culture, St. David's Day generally celebrates Wales rather than the Saint, it remains at heart a religious holiday. It is therefore worth noting that if March 1st falls on a Sunday, the Church of Wales observes his feast day on March 2nd.

Is St. David's Day a public holiday?

In 2000, the National Assembly for Wales voted unanimously to make St. David's Day a public holiday and public support in Wales has remained strong. Despite this, all moves so far to make St. David's Day a bank holiday has been rejected by the British Government.

In 2007, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, rejected calls for it to become a public holiday, despite a poll at the time showing that 87% of Welsh people were in favour.

This has resulted in the situation, within the United Kingdom, were Scotland and Northern Ireland have public holidays for their patron saints, but England and Wales don't.

Every year parades are held in Wales to commemorate St. David. The largest of these is held in Cardiff.

On St. David's day, Welsh people may wear one or both of the national emblems of Wales on their lapel - the daffodil or the leek on this day. The tradition of wearing a leek is said to have arisen when a unit of Welsh soldiers were able to distinguish each other from troops of similarly attired English enemy soldiers by wearing leeks.

The Daffodil flowers early in the year and makes it a fitting emblem for St. David as it is full bloom by March 1st.

On March 1st the Empire State Building will be floodlit in the national colours of Wales - red, green and white.

St. David's Day – March 1, 2021

There’s nothing more Welsh than St. David’s Day, the feast and celebration that falls on March 1 and commemorates the patron saint of Wales, Saint David — the greatest figure in the 6th century, Welsh Age of Saints, founder of scores of religious communities, and the only native-born patron saint of the countries of Britain and Ireland. St. David, a famous teacher and the founder of what is today St. David’s Cathedral, was famed for his pious austerity, his commitment to eschew sensual pleasures in favor of spiritual enlightenment, and his ability to perform miracles. Because of his life and works, St David’s Day is widely popular amongst the Welsh. Today, the holiday is as much a celebration of Wales as it is of her patron saint. Children participate in recitation and singing, parades line the streets, the flag of Saint David is raised, and some girls wear traditional Welsh clothing.

HISTORY OF ST. DAVID'S DAY

St David’s Day has been celebrated since the year 1120 and is a huge celebration for the Welsh. Who is St David? St David was the greatest figure in the 6th century Welsh Age of Saints, founder of scores of religious communities, and the only native-born patron saint of the countries of Britain and Ireland.

Most of what we know about St David was written by the 11th-century scholar Rhygyfarch. He tells us that St David was born in Pembrokeshire around the year 500, the grandson of Ceredig ap Cunedda, king of Ceredigion. He became a renowned preacher, founding monastic settlements and churches in Wales, Brittany, and England – including, possibly, the abbey at Glastonbury. In 550 A.D., fellow monks elected him primate of the region of Brefi, after he gave a compelling speech at the Synod of Brefi. In 569 A.D., David presided over the Synod of Caerleon.

He’s said to have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he became an archbishop and established a strict religious community in what is now St Davids in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. He was famed for his pious austerity, as he is believed to have lived on only leeks and water. His monks only prayed, ate, and wrote in the evenings, and plowed fields themselves without the help of animals. He eschewed personal possessions — the monks could not even say ‘my’ when referring to something as simple as a book.

Many people claimed that St David was able to perform miracles. One of the more famous miracles associated with him is that once while preaching at Llandewi Brefi, he caused the ground to rise beneath his feet so that everyone could hear his sermon. During the incident, a white dove is said to have landed on his shoulder, as he is so often depicted now. Other miracles are believed to be St David resurrecting a dead child and restoring sight to a blind man.

St David died on 1 March – St David’s Day – in 589. He was buried at St. David’s Cathedral. After the Vikings raided his tomb in the 10th and 11th centuries, it was given a new shrine in 1275. The bones of the person who was supposedly St. David were discovered in the Holy Trinity Chapel of Saint David’s Cathedral and carbon-dated back to the 12th century. He was canonized by Pope Callixtus in the 12th century, and St David’s Day has been celebrated ever since. His shrine at St. David’s became a notable place of pilgrimage, especially during the Middle Ages.

There have been over 50 churches dedicated to him in pre-Reformation days. He was also canonized by the Eastern Orthodox church. St. David’s day has long been a celebration of the saint of Wales and, in 2000, the National Assembly for Wales voted cross-party to recognize St. David’s Day as a public holiday. Traditional festivities include wearing daffodils and leeks, recognized symbols of Wales and Saint David respectively, eating traditional Welsh food including cawl and Welsh rarebit, and women wearing traditional Welsh dress. An increasing number of cities and towns across Wales including Cardiff, Swansea, and Aberystwyth also put on parades throughout the day.

ST. DAVID'S DAY TIMELINE

462-515 A.D.

The Birth of a Saint

St David, Dewi Sant in Welsh, is born on the south-west coast of Wales, near to where the city of St Davids is today.

560 A.D.

Building a Monastery

St David is said to have founded a monastery close to the place where he was born.

569 A.D.

Monks Elect David

David presides over the Synod of Caerleon, also called the Synod of Victory.

March 1, 589 A.D.

The Passing of a Great Man

After living for, apparently, more than 100 years, St David passes away on Tuesday, March 1, 589 after giving his final sermon the day before.

1120 A.D.

St David’s Day Becomes Official

St David is canonized by Pope Callixtus II, becoming the national patron saint of Wales, and March 1 is officially included in the church calendar as St David’s Day.

2000

A Public Holiday

With cross-party support in the National Assembly for Wales, St. David’s Day officially becomes a public holiday.

ST. DAVID'S DAY FAQS

Why do we celebrate St David’s Day?

St David is the patron saint of Wales and he is celebrated on the 1 March. To mark the day, Welsh people around the world wear one or both of Wales’s national emblems – a daffodil and a leek. Patron saints are chosen to be special protectors or guardians over all areas of life.

What is St David known for?

St David became a renowned preacher, founding monastic settlements and churches in Wales, Brittany and southwest England – including, possibly, the abbey at Glastonbury.