The history of St David's Day    1st March in Wales is time for the nation to celebrate its patron saint, St David. But who was he and why is he such an important figure in Welsh history? We take a closer look and find out more...        Story of a saint Known as Dewi Sant in the Welsh language, St David was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop who lived in the sixth century. One of the early saints who helped spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of western Britain, at one point he was also the Archbishop of Wales. St David's life was loosely chronicled by a biographer, Rhigyfarch, who wrote a book called Buchedd Dewi (The Life of David) in the 11th century. Another book by Gerallt Gymro (Giraldus Cambrensis) who travelled around Wales during the 12th century also sheds light on his early life. However, since David died in the sixth century and the first manuscripts arrived five hundred years later, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction - especially as Rhigyfarch apparently had his own religious agenda when writing his book. Born near Capel Non (Non's Chapel) on the southwest Wales coast, David was of royal lineage. His father, Sant, was the son of Ceredig, prince of Ceredigion and his mother, Non, was the daughter of a local chieftain. It is also rumoured that Non was King Arthur's niece. He was taught in a monastery by a blind monk, Paulinus, and rumour has it he cured his blindness by making the sign of the cross. The monk, realising his holy powers, sent him off as a missionary to spread the word of Christ.        The Water Drinker David lived a simple life and is known in Welsh as Dewi Ddyfrwr (David the Water Drinker) as he apparently drank nothing else. He would often stand in a lake of cold water up to his neck and recite the Scriptures as a form of penance. He founded twelve monasteries in his life including the one at Glyn Rhosyn (Rose Vale) on the river Alun, now the site for the present city of St David. Legend has is that he was so unpopular as a result of his severity in one such monastery, that the monks attempted to poison him. David was warned but ignored the message and instead, blessed the poisoned bread before he ate it - and lived. Stories such as these are numerous. It is alleged that he once awakened a young boy from death or that springs of water would appear at key moments in his life. Another anecdote is that his mother gave birth on the rocks by the sea and on his birth, lightning struck the rock and split it in two... However, the most famous tale is at the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi as they debated whether David should be made Archbishop. The crowd was enormous so when David began to speak, someone shouted: "We won't be able to see or hear him". At that moment, the ground rose allowing all to see David - and of course, he was made Archbishop. David lived for over 100 years (until 589) when he was buried in his own monastery, where the cathedral now stands in the beautiful city of St David. St David's Day as a celebration dates back to 1120 when he was canonised, following which St David's became a pilgrimage destination - it was said that four trips there equalled two to Rome or one to Jerusalem. St David also played his part in keeping the Welsh language alive, speaking an old form of Welsh in his time. You will often find him depicted with a dove on his shoulder, which symbolises the Holy Spirit. Many say this gave him the gift of eloquence, but St David is remembered more for his simple words. In his last sermon, he told the monks to "do the little things, the small things you've seen me doing."       The legend lives on Whatever the legends tell us, St David was and remains a key figure in Welsh history. St David's Day on 1st March is celebrated all over the country by schools and cultural societies organising special events and church services. The biggest one takes place in St David's Hall, Cardiff, with a concert and 1000-member male choir. It is traditional to wear either a leek or a daffodil, on your coat lapel (two of the country's national emblems). Often young girls will wear the national costume, which consists of a tall black hat, white frilled cap and long dress which dates back to the 18th century. You will notice an abundance of national flags flying about too - the flag depicts a fiery red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) against a green and white background. If you're lucky enough to be in Wales on 1st March, enjoy the festivities and make the most of this popular, national celebration.     Article Coutersy of: http://www.sucs.swan.ac.uk/~rhys/stdavid.html This webset was assembled by Erin with Public Domain Tiles using one of the many auto-scripters available at  Chat_Central_Gateway  All rights reserved KENDOC 2005