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Year 3 celebrated Dydd Santes
Dwinwen, writing the story, drawing pictures, making gifts of
chocolate fudge, tied with labels they had made showing what
they had learnt about our Welsh saint of love.
Dydd Santes Dwynwen (St Dwynwen's day) is celebrated in Wales on
25th January and commemorates the patron saint of friendship and
love. Seen as something of a "Welsh Valentine's Day", from the
1960s it has increased in popularity as a day when cards are
sent. |
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The story of Dwinwen
Dwynwen lived during the 5th century and was one of the
prettiest of Brychan Brycheiniog's 24 daughters. Dwynwen fell in
love with a prince called Maelon Dafodrill, but unfortunately
her father had already arranged that she should marry someone
else.
Dwynwen was so upset that she could not marry Maelon that she
begged God to make her forget him. After falling asleep, Dwynwen
was visited by an angel, who appeared carrying a sweet potion
designed to erase all memory of Maelon and turn him into a block
of ice.
God then gave three wishes to Dwynwen. Her first wish was that
Maelon be thawed; her second that God meet the hopes and dreams
of true lovers; and third, that she should never marry. All
three were fulfilled, and as a mark of her thanks, Dwynwen
devoted herself to God's service for the rest of her life,
becoming a nun.
She founded a convent on Llanddwyn, off the west coast of
Anglesey, where a well named after her became a place of
pilgrimage after her death in 465AD. Visitors to the well
believed that the sacred fish or eels that lived in the well
could foretell whether or not their relationship would be happy
and whether love and happiness would be theirs. Remains of
Dwynwen's church can still be seen today. |
