Facts about St. David's Day

Nicknamed the 'water drinker', St. David only drank water and ate only herbs, vegetables and bread. St. David's Day Facts

Rather than a leek or daffodil, St. David's symbol is actually a dove normally resting on a shoulder as he stands on a hill. It is believed while speaking to a crowd of people at the synod of Brefi, a hill arose at the very spot he had preached from. St. David's Day Facts

During the Middle Ages, many believed that St. David was the nephew of King Arthur. St. David's Day Facts

It believed when the Saint David was baptised as an infant, a blind monk nearby had his sight suddenly restored. St. David's Day Facts

Unlike the other Saints of the UK, St. David was actually Welsh. He was born around 500 AD in Caerfai in Pembrokshire, Wales to Sandde, Prince of Powys and Non, daughter of a chieftain. St. Andrew was Palestinian, St. Patrick was a Romano-British missionary and St. George was a Roman soldier of Greek extraction. St. David's Day Facts

The Welsh Society of Philadelphia dates back to 1729 and claims to be 'the oldest ethnic society in the United States'. St. David's Day Facts

St. David was officially recognised as a saint by Pope Callixtus in 1120 AD. St. David's Day Facts

St. David was the bishop for the city of Menevia, in Pembrokshire - now called St Davids. St. David's Day Facts

He founded a monastery beside the river Alun, now the site of St David's Cathedral. St. David's Day Facts

Before a battle against the Saxons, legend has it, David advised Welsh warriors to wear a leek in their hats so that they could distinguish themselves from their enemies. This inspired the tradition of wearing leeks on his name day. St. David's Day Facts

According to tradition, he lived to be over 100 years old and died on 1 March 589 AD. St. David's Day Facts

The shrine of St. David in his cathedral at St David's in Pembrokeshire - was thought of so highly by Pope Callistus II that he stated two pilgrimages to the shrine were worth one to the Vatican in Rome. St. David's Day Facts

St Davids is the United Kingdom's smallest city in terms of both size and population. St. David's Day Facts

King Edward I took the head and the arm of St. David from the Cathedral after his 1284 conquest in Wales. He displayed the remains along with a number of other holy relics in London. St. David's Day Facts

St David's Day only became a national day of celebration in the 18th century. St. David's Day Facts

His last words, in a sermon before his death, were: "Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed, and do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about." St. David's Day Facts

A Welsh stew, named Cawl and containing lamb and leeks, is traditionally consumed on St David's Day. St. David's Day Facts

The nickname 'Taffy' for a Welshman comes from St David. It comes from Dafydd, Welsh for David. St. David's Day Facts

Though the flag of Wales is a red Dragon on a green and white background, David has his own flag - a yellow cross on a black background. St. David's Day Facts

The Cathedral in St Davids, Pembrokeshire is home to his shrine. St Davids is Britain's smallest city, with a population of approx. 1,600 – that’s about 4% of capital Cardiff's population. St. David's Day Facts