The early life of David

St David (or Dewi Sant in Welsh) was born on the South West coast of Wales, near the present day city of St Davids.

David is believed to have been born near the present day city that bears his name, in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales. The exact year of his birth is unknown, with estimates ranging from 462 to 515 AD.

Much of what we know about David comes from Rhygyfarch, the 11th century author who wrote the Life of Saint David. As it was written so long after the fact, its reliability is questionable. Additionally, the legend is woven with embellishments, which would have been undoubtedly inspiring to believers in centuries past.

We know that David was born into an aristocratic family. According to the legend, an angel foretold the birth of David to St Patrick 30 years before it happened.

Rhygyfarch wrote that he was the son of ‘sanctus rex ceredigionis’. This is believed to be Sandde or Sant, prince of Powys and the son of King Ceredig, the founder of Ceredigion.

David was born to St Non at what is now Capel Non’s, to the south of the city that bears his name. It is thought that Non was a victim of violation by Sandde after she resisted his initial advances. Non became a nun and was later canonised.

His mother is said to have given birth on a cliff top in the middle of a violent storm. The birthing process was said to have been so intense and fraught that her fingers left marks as she grasped a rock. As David was born a bolt of lightning from heaven is said to have struck the rock, splitting it in two.

Non named her son Dewidd, though local Dyfed pronunciation meant he was commonly called Dewi. David is an Anglicised variation of the name derived from the Latin Davidus.

Brought up by his mother in Henfeynyw near Aberaeron, David is said to have been baptised at nearby Porthclais by St Elvis of Munster. It is said that a blind monk, Movi, was cured after drops of water splashed into his eyes as he held David.

David was educated at a monastery, usually taken to be Whitland in Carmarthenshire, under St Paulinus of Wales. He is said to have cured his tutor of blindness by making the sign of the cross. Realising that David was blessed, Paulinus sent him off as a missionary to convert the pagan people of Britain.

Saint David and religion

David was educated at a monastery, usually taken to be Whitland in Carmarthenshire, for at least 10 years under the tutelage of St Paulinus of Wales.

David is said to have cured his tutor Paulinus of blindness, by making the sign of the cross. Realising that his protégé was blessed, Paulinus sent him off as a missionary to convert the pagan people of Britain.

Soon after reaching adulthood, David was ordained a priest. He worked firstly in Wales and later on in the west of England and in Brittany, and is also believed to have visited Rome and Jerusalem. He is said to have founded 12 monasteries in southern Wales during the course of his travels.

David believed in a simple life. His monks rose at dawn to pray, and afterwards worked the fields around the monastery. They had to pull the ploughs themselves without the help of animals, and prayed as they worked.

The men were expected to remain silent unless praying or in an emergency. They ate only bread and vegetables, and drank nothing but milk and water. David himself drank only water. Despite his strict ascetic principles, David’s piety and charisma was enough to unite his followers.

However, at one of his monasteries the life of austerity was so unpopular that the monks attempted to poison David. St Scuthyn is said (other accounts name St Aeddan) to have warned him of the danger after travelling from Ireland on the back of a sea-monster. David ate the poisoned bread after blessing it, and came to no harm.

A monk, abbot and bishop who later became archbishop of Wales, David did much to spread the Christian word throughout the land. He was active in suppressing the Pelagian heresy, the belief that original sin did not taint human nature and that people are capable of choosing good or evil without divine aid.

He founded a monastery in around 550, where St David’s, the United Kingdom’s smallest city, stands today. It is said by some that two pilgrimages to St Davids are equal to one pilgrimage to the Vatican in Rome.

The most famous story relating to St David occurred as he preached to a large crowd at the synod of Llandewi Brefi. One of the crowd shouted, “We won’t be able to see or hear him”. The ground David stood on is said to have risen up so that he was standing on a hill, so he could be seen and heard by all.

David’s last recorded words appeared in a Sunday sermon. Rhygyfarch, himself the son of a later Bishop of St David’s, records the words as “Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.”

David is said to have lived for over 100 years, and died on Tuesday 1 March 589, in the week after his final sermon. He was buried in the grounds of his monastery, which was said to have been “filled with angels as Christ received his soul”.

Throughout the Middle Ages David’s shrine became a popular destination for pilgrims. In the 12th century he was made the patron saint of Wales, with his feast day on 1 March. He was officially recognised as a saint by Pope Callixtus II in 1123.

St David is often shown with a dove on his shoulder. The bird symbolises the Holy Spirit which gave David the gift of eloquence as he preached.

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