Saint David, the revered patron saint of Wales and one of the most iconic saints in British history, remains shrouded in mystery due to the sparse reliable historical records about his life. Tradition holds that he was born to King Sant of South Wales and St. Non. He was consecrated as a priest and pursued his religious studies under St. Paulinus.
David is celebrated for his devout life, marked by his dedication to missionary endeavors and the establishment of numerous monasteries, with his main abbey located in southwestern Wales. The tales of David and his monks are renowned for their severe ascetic practices. They maintained silence during labor, eschewing animal help for farming, and subsisted on a simple diet of bread, vegetables, and water.
Around 550 AD, David’s articulate speech at a synod earned him such admiration from his peers that he was appointed the primate of the area. Subsequently, the episcopal see was transferred to Mynyw, the site of his monastery, now known as St. David’s. He led his diocese into his advanced years, imparting the memorable exhortation to his followers: “Be joyful, brothers and sisters. Keep your faith, and do the little things that you have seen and heard with me.”
St. David is often depicted standing on a hill with a dove on his shoulder, a symbol of a miraculous event where a dove landed on him and the ground elevated beneath his feet to amplify his voice to the masses during a sermon. Before the Reformation, over 50 churches in South Wales were consecrated in his honor.
Photo credit: Llywelyn2000 via Wikimedia Commons
,_Sir_Benfro,_Wales_10.jpg){kind=link}
The post Saint David of Wales appeared first on uCatholic.
Daily Reading
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Reading 1 Acts 15:1-6 Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,you cannot be saved.”Because there arose no little…
Daily Meditation
Remaining Connected to the True Vine
Click here for daily readings Two children sat on the floor with me in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium as I read the same words we hear in…