March 1st: St. David’s Day – Wales’ annual patron Saint’s Day

St. David’s Day is a day that carries deep meaning in the hearts of the Welsh, as it celebrates their patron saint, Saint David, and their long and rich culture.
They pay honor to St. David annually.
But who was Saint David?
First, he played an enormous role in the sixth century Welsh Age of Saints, also founding numerous religious communities in Wales, and today the St. David’s Day celebration is as much a way to honor Wales as to its patron saint.

Many of Wales’s heritage sites, including the iconic St. David Bishop’s Palace, open their doors for free on this Welsh holiday, and there are a lot of parades, concerts, and food festivals, especially in cities like Cardiff and Swansea.
Traditional festivities include wearing daffodils and leeks, recognised symbols of Wales and Saint David, respectively, eating traditional Welsh food, and women wearing traditional Welsh dress.
The leek arises when a troop of Welsh could distinguish each other from a troop of English enemy, with some historical accounts indicate Saxon invading forces, dressed similarly, by wearing leeks!
Children in Wales participate in school concerts or eisteddfodau, with recitation and singing as the main activities. The younger girls sometimes wear traditional Welsh costumes to school. This costume includes a long woollen skirt, apron, white blouse, woollen shawl, and a Welsh hat.
The flag of Saint David often plays a central role in the celebrations and can be seen flying throughout Wales.
Daffodil not only welcomes the first days of springtime and heralds warmer weather, but it’s also a symbol of Welsh identity.
Wearing this sunny yellow flower, particularly on St. David’s Day, is a proud declaration of one’s Welsh heritage and, throughout the centuries, it has become synonymous with celebrating this day. It represents hope, new beginnings, and the resilience of the Welsh people. Whether pinned to a lapel or tucked into a lovely floral arrangement, the daffodil is a bright and cheerful emblem of Wales and its rich traditions…including culinary ones!

Welsh foods, including the ones traditionally ate also on this day, are a delightful blend of traditional flavors and unique preparations.
Some of the dishes include:
– Cawl, a hearty soup as well as the national food of Wales. It is made from meat, most often lamb, and vegetables. The ingredients are slow-cooked to perfection, resulting in a rich and flavorful broth. It’s prevalent during the colder months and best enjoyed with crusty, rustic bread.
– Laverbread and, despite its name, it is not a bread at all! It’s actually made from laver seaweed that has been boiled and minced, with a deep green color and a unique, savory taste. Locals often mix it with oatmeal and fry it in small patties.
– Glamorgan Sausage, a vegetarian delight made from a local favorite cheese, caerphilly cheese, leeks, and breadcrumbs. These ingredients are combined, shaped into sausages, and then fried until golden.
– Bara Brith, translates to “speckled bread,” a traditional Welsh fruit loaf. It’s made by soaking dried fruits in tea and then mixing them with flour and brown sugar, creating a dense, moist bread. It’s best after it’s sliced and buttered, and It’s traditionally served at tea time in Wales.

Either way, the Welsh people have celebrated St. David’s Day with great pride since the twelfth century.
Born around 500 AD in Pembrokeshire, David was the shining star of the 6th-century Welsh Age of Saints and, as it turns out, he remains the only native-born patron saint from either Britain or Ireland!
Much of our knowledge about St. David comes from the writings of the 11th-century scholar, Rhygyfarch.
St. David established a monastery close to his birthplace. Locals sought his guidance, and he was best known for his teachings and pious austerity.
According to the legend, he survived on a diet of just leeks and water, but whether that’s accurate or not, we will never know!
His commitment to spiritual enlightenment was unparalleled, and he was so spiritually gifted that he even performed miracles, including restoring a blind man’s eyesight, but there’s also an account of him resurrecting a child from the dead.
The Welsh still proudly share these stories, especially on this day, and St. David’s influence on the faith community was so deep that he was canonized by Pope Callixtus in the 12th century.
His shrine at St. David’s Cathedral became a significant pilgri mage site, especially during the Middle Ages, and today, the St. David’s Day holiday serves as a reminder of his teachings and miraculous good works, also representing the indomitable spirit of the Welsh people.

Images from web – Google Research