ST. DAVID (52C?—588?).
Very little is definitely known about the life of St. David, the Patron
Saint of Wales.
The “History” of his life was written by Rhigyfarch (son of Sulien, Bishop
of St. David’s) towards the end of the eleventh century. In Rhigyfarch’s
time, the Norman’s were overrunning South Wales, and it was likely that St.
David’s would have to continue in sub-mission to the authority of the
Archbishop of Canterbury. Not unnaturally therefore, the “ History” of St.
David contains many stories which tended to emphasise the greatness of David
and the independence of the Church in
Wales.
It is said that David was born about the year 520, and that he was the son of
Sanctus (a king of Ceredigion), and Nonn. He was educated at Henfynyw, in
Cardigan-shire. He is said to have founded a monastic community in Glyn
Rhosin, where the Cathedral of St. David’s now stands.
David spent the remainder of his life as the head of the monastery at St.
David’s, and in visiting the various religious settlements in Dyfed which
were associated with it. Possibly he also visited Brittany and Cornwall. He
was well-known for his practice of self-denial and his strict discipline.
He was not an Archbishop; he was a bishop, but without a diocese in the
modern sense of the term. His biographer, however, resolutely exalted David,
and tells how he visited Jerusalem and was consecrated there by the
Patriarch. He refers also to two synods at Llanddewi Brefi; when David was
called upon to speak, the ground rose under his feet, whereby he became
audible to all, and he was there recognised as the leader of the Church of
Wales. He is said to have died on the first day of March, 588.
Gerald the Welshman championed the independence of St. David’s against
Canterbury at the end of the 12th century, and for that purpose used the
“facts” given in the “History” of St. David. “In this way, the Bishop of
St. David’s became, as it were, a symbol of the independence of Wales . . . .
and that is why David himself was exalted into a Patron Saint of Wales.”
David’s shrine in St. David’s Cathedral became famous as a place of
pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, and two visits to St.
David’s were held to be of the same merit as one to Rome. Over fifty churches
in South Wales were named after him. The National Festival of Wales is
celebrated on the first day of March, the traditional day of St. David’s
death.
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Richard James
CarmarthenshireFHS
View Carmarthenshire Web Pages:
http://members.aol.com/cmnfhs1/
View Genweb Carmarthenshire:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wlscfhs/cmngenweb.htm
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