St David’s Day – Celebrating the Patron Saint of Wales
Summary - St David's Day
Date: March 1st every year | Language: Welsh: Happy St David's Day: Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus
St David’s Day is celebrated each year on 1st March. It honours St David (Dewi Sant), the Patron Saint of Wales, and has become a cherished national celebration in Wales and worldwide amongst Welsh expats since the 18th century. The city of St David's (Ty Ddewi) in Pembrokeshire is the smallest city in Britain with a population of 1,800 and together with the cathedral mark a memorial to our Patron Saint.
How to Say “Happy St David’s Day” in Welsh
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!
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Who Was St David?
St David was a Welsh bishop during the 6th century and became a leading figure in early Christianity across Wales and beyond. He founded a monastery around the year 560, which later became the site of St David’s Cathedral in St David’s City, Pembrokeshire - the smallest city in Britain.
Quick Facts
- Date: 1st March each year
- Birth: Believed to be around 500 AD, during a thunderstorm on a cliff in Pembrokeshire
- Death: 1st March, 589 AD
- City Named After Him: Ty Ddewi (St David’s), population approx 1,800
- Famous Last Words: “Be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do.”
Celebrating St David’s Day
On St David’s Day, people across Wales and around the world show their national pride by wearing daffodils or leeks - symbols of Wales. Parades, performances, and cultural events take place, especially in Cardiff, the Welsh capital.
The Leek is believed to have been chosen by St David himself, who instructed soldiers to wear them in battle to distinguish themselves. The Daffodil, a spring flower, has since become a modern, iconic alternative.
Is St David’s Day a Bank Holiday?
As of January 2025, St David’s Day is not a public holiday in Wales or the UK. However, it remains a subject of active discussion, with strong public support and ongoing political campaigning for it to become an official bank holiday.
Flag of St David
In addition to the famous Welsh Dragon, many people now fly the Flag of St David - a striking black banner with a yellow cross - on 1st March.
10 Interesting Facts About St David
- He founded a monastery around 560 AD where St David’s Cathedral now stands.
- He was a 6th-century bishop with influence beyond Wales.
- He spread Christianity across Britain and parts of Europe.
- He’s the official Patron Saint of Wales.
- St David was a vegetarian, living on bread and water alone.
- He promoted hard work - monks ploughed fields by hand.
- He is said to have lived to over 100 years of age.
- He reportedly instructed Welsh soldiers to wear leeks in battle.
- The smallest city in Britain is named after him - St David’s.
- His final advice remains famous today: “Do the little things.”