by Teresa Austringer

Created on: February 25, 2009

Saint David is the patron saint of Wales, just as St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, St. Andrew is of Scotland, and St. George the patron saint of Great Britain. His feast day is March 1, the day of his death in 589. Unlike the other saints that are patrons for the British Isles, he is a homegrown saint, actually born and raised in Wales. St. David, or Dewi Sant, as it is in Welsh, established several monasteries there and was known for his asceticism and spiritual leadership.

His symbol, which is also the symbol of Wales, is the Leek. He is frequently shown with a dove on his shoulder, and his most often cited miracle was that the ground miraculously rose under him while he was giving a speech at Synod of Llanddewi Bref so that people in the back could hear him. One can think of few miracles as unnecessary as creating another hill in that part of Wales!

For centuries St. David's Day has been celebrated as a national festival in Wales. It is celebrated with parades, traditional meals, concerts or eisteddfodau. An eisteddfod is a Welsh festival of music and literature, following ancient bardic tradition. The word is derived from the Welsh word 'to sit'.

Leeks or daffodils, or both, are worn on lapels. Daffodils are a more recent symbol of Wales. They are in season in March in Wales, and adorn many shops and eating establishments. Leeks are a personal symbol of St. David's and have been worn for centuries. You can see a leek worn on the lapel of the Prince of Wales on St. David's Day. There is a mention of the wearing of the leek as an ancient tradition in Shakespeare's Henry V.

Leeks are also eaten on St. David's Day. They are eaten in leek soup, with potatoes and milk, and are in cawls, which is a traditional stew, or are consumed in pies.

Sometimes traditional costumes are worn, especially by school children. The girls wear Welsh flannel petticoats and overcoats. They wear a very tall hat over a frilled bonnet. This traditional stove pipe style hat is credited with frightening off British soldiers during an invasion, because from a distance they mistook the women for soldiers by their hats. The boys wear black flannel waistcoats, trousers, white shirts and black shoes.

The Welsh flag, a red dragon on a field of green and white, is flown. St. David's flag, a gold cross on a black background, is often also flown on this day.

In the United States, there are a few dinners and concerts put on by Welsh societies, but if you are American, you are far more likely to have attended a St. Patrick's Day celebration, an Oktoberfest or even a Highland games than you are to have celebrated St. David's Day. Wales has provided immigrants and helped shape America as well, but has been forgotten when celebrating cultural heritage.

So put some daffodils in a vase on March 1. You might have to use forced bulbs, or buy them from the florist, since they don't bloom for another couple of weeks in most areas of the U.S. Try a leek soup, or Welsh cakes or rarebit. Find a concert if you can. Honor your Welsh heritage. Don't celebrate too much though, as you might for St. Paddy's day- St. David is also known as 'Dewi Ddyfrwr', or David the Water Drinker.

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