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 David is the
patron saint of Wales and perhaps the most famous of British saints.
Ironically, we have little reliable information about him.
It is known that he became a priest, engaged in missionary work and founded
many monasteries, including his principal abbey in southwestern Wales. Many
stories and legends sprang up about David and his Welsh monks. Their
austerity was extreme. They worked in silence without the help of animals to
till the soil. Their food was limited to bread, vegetables and water.
In about the year 550, David attended a synod where his eloquence impressed
his fellow monks to such a degree that he was elected primate of the region.
The episcopal see was moved to Mynyw, where he had his monastery (now called
St. David's). He ruled his diocese until he had reached a very old age. His
last words to his monks and subjects were: "Be joyful, brothers and sisters.
Keep your faith, and do the little things that you have seen and heard with
me."
St. David is pictured standing on a mound with a dove on his shoulder. The
legend is that once while he was preaching a dove descended to his shoulder
and the earth rose to lift him high above the people so that he could be
heard. Over 50 churches in South Wales were dedicated to him in
pre-Reformation days.
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